After leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers hanging for months about his final decision, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has finally confirmed his decision to play another year ahead of the 2026 season. And while Rodgers took his sweet time, the Steelers and head coach Mike McCarthy kept themselves busy making plans for a backup QB, in case Rodgers refused to play this year. However, all those plans can be put to rest now, with everyone now looking forward to a McCarthy-Rodgers reunion.
This move comes weeks after the Steelers placed a UFA tender on Rodgers. They did it to get an upper hand in his decision; in case Rodgers signed with another team before training camp, Pittsburgh could get a draft pick, or it would limit where he could go later. Despite that, he took his time and made his move. But at the end, his love for the team brought him back as NFL insider Josina Anderson said through a league source, “He loved it here, loves the guys.”
He now joins the group of older QBs who are still playing. Tom Brady still has the record for being the oldest quarterback to start an NFL game, at 45 years old when he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 11, 2022.
Aaron Rodgers will reportedly sign a one-year contract and is expected to get a base salary between $22 million and $23 million. Add the incentives, and the total value will go up to around $25 million. However, the deal is yet to be signed by both parties.
According to reports, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers reached an agreement on May 16 last season, but did not finalize the contract until June 6. The veteran quarterback also appears to be getting a much higher salary this time. During the previous season, Rodgers played on a one-year contract worth $13.65 million, including $10 million guaranteed, with incentives that could raise the total to $19.5 million.
Well, the increase in the overall figure makes sense, knowing the kind of player Aaron Rodgers is. Last year, he recorded 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes, and only 7 interceptions for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He completed 65.7% of his passes and had a 94.8 passer rating. He also rushed for 61 yards and scored one rushing touchdown.
But this time, his return has also raised more red flags than appreciation. So, last year, Rodgers sustained a left wrist injury during the 2025 season against the Cincinnati Bengals. He only missed one game because of that, but fans are still worried about any future implications of the injury. Another concern came in after he struggled against the Texans last year. He only threw 147 yards while getting sacked four times. That performance made some fans question whether he could still lead the team deep into the playoffs.
Fans were also frustrated when Aaron Rodgers took a long time to decide about his return to the Steelers for a second straight year. For months, the front office waited to learn if Rodgers would return for another season, and the situation led to unnecessary rumors and drama around the team. Some fans on Reddit even reacted with mixed feelings after his final move. One fan joked, “Was always gonna happen lol the ‘drama’ around this was funny.”
Now, the team only has one big question left unanswered: the QB room. This year, the team has four solid options: Aaron Rodgers, Will Howard, Drew Allar, and Mason Rudolph. Technically, looking at Rodgers’ experience, he looks like the immediate answer for landing the starting job, but fans aren’t sold on it yet.
Is bringing Aaron Rodgers back to the Steelers the wrong move?
Well, Aaron Rodgers age may raise a few doubts about his return, but let’s not forget that no one knows Mike McCarthy’s system better than him. He is the same coach under whom Rodgers won his only Super Bowl XLV during his time at the Packers. Both have spent 13 years together in Green Bay. This year is a do-or-die situation for both, as it’s a huge comeback opportunity for Rodgers and a major chance for McCarthy to take his team to the playoffs.
Plus, let’s not forget Rodgers is the same guy who helped Pittsburgh win its first division title since 2020. He did that while dealing with an injured left wrist during the second half of the season. He is a four-time NFL MVP and one of the most successful quarterbacks in league history. On top of that, he also played the entire year with a weak group of wide receivers.
Now, talking about the QB competition, the team might not start with rookie QBs right away, which gives quarterbacks Drew Allar and Will Howard (who has yet to play a single snap after being drafted last year) time to develop under Aaron Rodgers.
Plus, to tackle their WR situation, Pittsburgh also added more talent around Rodgers during the offseason. The Steelers signed rookie Germie Bernard from Alabama and traded for former Pro Bowl wide receiver Michael Pittman II. This gives Rodgers solid players to work with alongside star receiver DK Metcalf.
Now, with everything falling right in place for the team, Aaron Rodgers is expected to be in attendance on Monday in Pittsburgh for the OTA session. This will clear a lot of stuff around the team’s QB situation, but for now, the team is betting on experience over anything else.
