Aaron Rodgers is meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week as he looks to clarify his future ahead of the 2026 NFL season, with the four-time MVP reportedly weighing up starting a family
14:11 ET, 07 May 2026Updated 14:12 ET, 07 May 2026
Aaron Rodgers led the Steelers to the playoffs in 2025
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Aaron Rodgers led the Steelers to the playoffs in 2025(Image: Getty Images)
Aaron Rodgers is weighing up continuing his NFL career against becoming a father and starting a family.
Rodgers has yet to confirm if he will play in 2026, whether it's with the Pittsburgh Steelers or another NFL franchise. The 42-year-old led the Steelers to the playoffs last season, but complained about the playing surface at Acrisure Stadium on several occasions.
Rodgers fared well in 2025, throwing for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns to seven interceptions. However, without the four-time MVP on the books, the Steelers’ quarterback room looks bleak: Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar will compete to be the starter as things stand.
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Rodgers has yet to inform Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, with whom he worked on the Green Bay Packers, of a second year in Pittsburgh and the 22nd year of his iconic career. As a result, the AFC North franchise used a right-of-refusal ender to protect itself and strengthen its position.
However, it seems Rodgers’ decision about a potential return to Pittsburgh — and he is visiting the franchise this weekend — centers on starting a family with his wife, Brittani. She has stayed out of public eye since their surprise wedding 12 months ago, and a source told The Daily Mail: “The reason that the Steelers made the move to put the tender on Aaron Rodgers was because of other teams having interest in him, including the Arizona Cardinals.
“But the chances of Aaron joining the Cardinals are extremely slim. Right now, his options are to either become a dad or return to the Steelers for one more go. Aaron is still weighing his options, as there are familiar coaches in both Pittsburgh and Arizona that Aaron has worked with in the past, but Aaron is being Aaron and not showing his hand.”
The source added: “The Steelers don't feel they are being held hostage just yet, but if Aaron doesn't commit in the next few months and retires, they would feel burned.”
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Aaron Rodgers is likely to return for a 22nd NFL season and his second with the Steelers
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Aaron Rodgers is likely to return for a 22nd NFL season and his second with the Steelers(Image: Getty Images)
In June 2025, Rodgers revealed he had been married for “a couple of months,” and details have been few and far between since then. He refused to offer the name of his partner, although, in a December 2024 appearance on the ‘Pat McAfee Show’, Rodgers claimed he was dating someone named Brittani.
Rodgers labeled her a “private person” at the time, and few details have come out. In March, Rodgers furiously lashed out at fans attempting to identify his mystery wife, branding their behavior ‘f---ing bizarre.”
“The obsession is f---ing bizarre, that's the only way to put it,” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show. “The obsession is really bizarre. You guys know, you laughed about this many times, you showed pictures of it... we're not living at the beach anymore... I understand the attention that comes with somebody who's accomplished what I've accomplished, so in no way am I making this a ‘woe is me’. But when it comes to your personal safety, it's not just me... it's me and her, and it's really f---ing bizarre.”
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He added: “She's just not a public person. Then she moved back across the pond and I got myself into crazy town.”
Due to the right-of-first-refusal tender, Rodgers can accept a 10 percent raise off last year’s Steelers salary, which would pay him about $15million this season. But the deal means Rodgers can sign with the Steelers only once training camp begins.