Aaron Rodgers has been in Pittsburgh for several days. He has not been to the Steelers facility. The team has not formally met with him. His agent has been doing all the talking.
And the rest of the league is just waiting for the press release.
Per Ian Rapoport and NFL Network on Tuesday, Rodgers is “likely to play for the Steelers in 2026.” Per Adam Schefter at ESPN, there is no agreement yet, but the framework of a one-year deal worth up to $25 million is on the table. Per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the holdup is small and almost entirely about contract structure.
Everyone expects this to be done by Friday.
Why Pittsburgh Is the Right Spot
The Steelers need a quarterback. Russell Wilson is gone. Justin Fields had his shot last year and was not the answer. Mike Tomlin has been doing the same dance for three offseasons trying to find a real starter.
Rodgers gives them a four-time MVP. Yes, he is 42. Yes, the Jets era was a disaster. Yes, his last full healthy season was in 2021. None of that changes the fact that he is still the most accurate quarterback in the league when his body cooperates, and the Steelers offensive line is the best he has played behind since his Packers prime.
The Pittsburgh weapons are interesting. George Pickens has been traded but DK Metcalf is still there. Pat Freiermuth at tight end. Jaylen Warren in the backfield. This is not the Jets roster Rodgers walked into. This is a real offense.
The Risk
Rodgers turns 43 in December. He played hurt for half of last season. His off-field stuff is exhausting for any franchise. Pat McAfee is going to be in Pittsburgh every Tuesday. The vaccine podcast is back on the menu.
If Tomlin and Omar Khan can get one year of clean Rodgers and a real playoff push, the deal is worth it. If Rodgers shows up and starts the offseason posting about Bigfoot, the Steelers locker room is going to be a slow-motion disaster.
That is the bet. Pittsburgh has weighed it. They are signing.
What About the AFC?
The AFC North is now the most talented division in football. Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Now Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Cleveland has whoever Cleveland has. That is three Hall of Fame-level quarterbacks in one division.
The standings race for the AFC is going to be a knife fight. The Chiefs and Bills will still be in the conversation. The Patriots with Drake Maye are coming up. The Texans with C.J. Stroud are real.
Adding Rodgers to that mix turns the AFC into the deepest quarterback conference in football history. It also makes the Steelers a real contender for the first time in a decade.
The Verdict
The deal is going to get done. Probably this weekend, possibly early next week. The framework is there. Rodgers wants Pittsburgh. The Steelers want a real quarterback. Both sides have the leverage they need.
One year, up to $25 million, real playoff expectations. If Rodgers can stay upright, Pittsburgh is a wild card team and possibly more. If he cannot, the Steelers tried something with juice instead of running it back. That is the smart play.
Now Aaron just needs to walk into the facility. The rest is paperwork.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
