Report: Aaron Rodgers likely to play for Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend and will likely make it known that he will play for them this season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the news on Thursday.

If he does, it will mark his 22nd (second with the franchise) NFL season. Rodgers would re-establish himself as Pittsburgh’s fourth quarterback on the roster, joining Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar.

In his first season in Pittsburgh, Rodgers led the Steelers back to the Playoffs for the third consecutive season. He also led Pittsburgh to an AFC North divisional crown for the first time since 2020. Rodgers passed for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns with just seven interceptions, and will be welcomed back with open arms if he decides to return.

“We’ve been in contact with Aaron on a regular basis,” Steelers owner/president Art Rooney II told The Insiders on April 29. “He’s been keeping us up to date on his plan. Even though I thought it probably would have been concluded by now, I think we will come to a conclusion here in the next few weeks.”

FA QB Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to visit the #Steelers Friday and this weekend, will likely play for them in 2026, sources say.

A deal is not done & there is always caution until things are signed. But Rodgers’ plan is to play for PIT & these are steps toward that end. pic.twitter.com/ZVoHTCDBdh

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 7, 2026

Pittsburgh Steelers placed UFA tender on Aaron Rodgers in late April

In late April, Pittsburgh placed a UFA tender on Rodgers. This means that he can now accept a 10% raise from last year’s salary, which would pay him $15 million this year. The Steelers were also given the right to match any offer sheet he would sign with another team, although that does not sound likely. The placement of the tender also means that Rodgers would only be able to officially sign with the Steelers once training camp starts in July.

“We alerted Aaron and his representative that we were going to do it, and so not a real big deal,” Rooney II continued. “Just something that in the unlikely event he goes somewhere else, we are eligible for a comp pick.”

In preparation for the Rodgers decision, the Pittsburgh Steelers did, in fact, select a quarterback in last week’s NFL Draft. With the No. 76 overall pick, Pittsburgh selected Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. This gives the Steelers quarterback room three different options, with that number bolstering to four if Rodgers does indeed agree to play for the Steelers next season.

Across 21 NFL seasons, Rodgers boasts 66,274 passing yards (fifth most all-time) and 527 passing touchdowns (fourth most all-time). At age 42, he would be the oldest player in the NFL if he returns in 2026.