PITTSBURGH, May 8, 2026, 05:12 (EDT)
Aaron Rodgers is slated for a visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers starting Friday that could stretch into the weekend, according to NFL Network. The free-agent quarterback is now widely expected to suit up for the team in 2026, putting one of the NFL’s lingering quarterback mysteries on the verge of resolution. As of this day, no deal is in place.
Timing is key here. Pittsburgh has put its offseason plans on hold, banking on a potential second year with Rodgers, who’s now 42. Meanwhile, first-year coach Mike McCarthy is facing a lineup with no clear starter under center. Steelers owner Art Rooney II said last week the team expected a resolution in May—after hopes for a pre-draft decision didn’t pan out.
Pittsburgh went with an uncommon move, slapping an unrestricted free-agent tender on Rodgers. If he signs, that bumps his 2025 pay up by 10% from the $13.65 million figure, landing him just shy of $15 million in 2026. The maneuver also shields the Steelers if he heads elsewhere. If Rodgers is still unsigned by July 22 or the start of camp, Pittsburgh could lock in exclusive negotiating rights.
That number might not get it done. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, it’s “hard to imagine” Rodgers suiting up for just the $15 million tender. Reuters added Thursday that contract talks could push both sides to address the terms as soon as this weekend. Reuters
OutKick said Rodgers was set to arrive in Pittsburgh Friday, planning to spend the weekend with the team. But a Steelers source told OutKick the visit was “news to me,” underscoring that nothing’s wrapped up yet, though momentum now leans toward a comeback. Fox News
Rooney downplayed the tender, calling it insurance rather than a pressure tactic. “We don’t expect that,” he remarked regarding the possibility of Rodgers departing. Still, he pointed to the team’s need for coverage “in the unlikely event he goes somewhere else.” According to Rooney, Rodgers has been “keeping us up to date on his plans.” Nfl
If Rodgers lands in Pittsburgh, McCarthy gets a familiar face—and some stability—in his debut season coaching the Steelers. The pair worked together in Green Bay, and according to Reuters, Rodgers logged his 15th campaign with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdowns during his 2025 stint in Pittsburgh.
The rest of the quarterback group isn’t as clear-cut. Pittsburgh grabbed Drew Allar out of Penn State in the third round of the 2026 draft, slotting him alongside Mason Rudolph, a veteran, and Will Howard, who came in as a sixth-round pick last year. That trio offers some insurance for the Steelers. Still, Rodgers is considered the likely first choice unless negotiations collapse.
The basic problem remains: no deal on paper so far. Negotiations can drag if money becomes an issue, and Rodgers could push Pittsburgh to sit tight—maybe he asks for more than the tender, maybe he’s just not ready to say yes to a 22nd NFL season. The Steelers do hold the upper hand post-tender, but they’re still missing the only piece that counts: his name on the contract.
