It has been five months since the Pittsburgh Steelers fans were last confident about Aaron Rodgers suiting up for them. Since then, it has been a waiting game that has lasted longer than the General Manager, Omar Khan, and Art Rooney II predicted. As anticipation builds within the community regarding Rodgers’ choice, veteran DT Cam Heyward believes there is no reason to be concerned about it for one particular reason.
“Bro, chill out,” said Heyward on the Not Just Football podcast. “He’ll get there when he gets there. It’s the middle of summer. If anyone knows the system better than anybody, it’s Aaron. And he’s not a big proponent into having this long training. I think he trains well on his own. He knows what his body needs at this point.”
Cam Heyward isn’t worried about Aaron Rodgers: “Bro, chill out. He’ll get there when he gets there. It’s the middle of summer. If anyone knows the system better than anybody, it’s Aaron. And he’s not a big proponent into having this long training. I think he trains well on his…
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) May 15, 2026
“I think we could all use a dose of turning our phones off once in a while and unplugging from society. Some people don’t want to do a few days and nights of darkness, and that’s fine,” said Rodgers on The Pat McAfee Show in 2023. “But to out and out judge it like you have any understanding of it, that’s not exactly a way to come together as a society and connect better as a people.”
In the past, Rodgers’ offseason workouts have included yoga as well. “A lot of flexibility’s helping with those injuries as you get older,” Rodgers told ESPN.
When he suffered an Achilles injury during his time with the New York Jets, his offseason was largely focused on rehabilitation. He made changes to his diet and went aggressively at returning in the same season, but that never happened. Rodgers waited out the whole of 2023 and continued his rehab even in the offseason before returning in 2024.
While Heyward is confident in Rodgers returning to the Steelers after his summer of training, the veteran DT also made it his birthday wish.
“Aaron Rodgers signing but would be a heck of a present,” wrote Heyward on Instagram Stories during his birthday on May 6.
Cam Heyward has been part of the Steelers setup for 15 seasons now. But in the 2025 season, he seemingly grew closer to Aaron Rodgers. To that end, after finishing the season with a 10-7 record, Heyward expressed his gratitude to play alongside the 42-year-old QB. “The dude’s earned my respect for what he’s been through this year… I’m just very thankful I got to play with that quarterback,” he said.
As things stand, the chances of Rodgers joining the Steelers for the 2026 season are quite uncertain. He may or may not. But the question would also arise about how long the Pittsburgh-based team will wait for the veteran QB.
NFL Insider reveals truth about ‘patience’ in the Aaron Rodgers situation
According to the latest developments, the Pittsburgh Steelers placed a UFA tender on Aaron Rodgers on April 28, 2026. With that, the Steelers ensured an automatic 2027 compensatory draft pick if Rodgers decides to sign with another team prior to the July 22, 2026, deadline. Also, if he remains unsigned following the deadline, the Steelers will gain exclusive negotiating rights, which would not allow Rodgers to sign with any other team for the remainder of the 2026 season unless Pittsburgh trades his rights.
Meanwhile, for Rodgers, the UFA tender has automatically increased his salary by 10%. While the veteran QB received $13.65 million for his 2025 salary, for the 2026 season, he could earn around $15 million. On top of that, the 42-year-old has the opportunity to negotiate a new salary with the Steelers before the deadline.
Despite these seemingly favorable terms for Rodgers, he has not yet made a decision. Consequently, NFL insider Tom Pelissero feels the Steelers might not be willing to wait for Rodgers’ decision for too long.
“At some point, the patience is going to run out,” said Pelissero on The Rich Eisen Show. “It certainly seems like the patience for Steelers fans, just based on the feedback I get every time I talk about Aaron Rodgers, may already be running out for some people. For Art Rooney [II], for Mike McCarthy, who’s trying to get the team ready on the field, that patience may be tested. I don’t believe that has happened yet. If they don’t have something in place by the start of next week, I think that we’ll get there.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers hold the legal right to unilaterally withdraw the UFA tender at any point before Aaron Rodgers puts pen to paper. If their patience runs out regarding his offseason timeline, general manager Omar Khan can rescind the offer. If rescinded, Rodgers immediately becomes a completely unrestricted free agent, and the Steelers forfeit any exclusive negotiating rights or future draft compensation.
On his return to the Steelers, Rodgers will likely be the QB1. However, if the contract extension fails to take place, then it will be interesting to see who HC Mike McCarthy feels responsible enough to lead the team’s offense.
