Even if the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t held a not-so-secret meeting with Aaron Rodgers this weekend, the two sides have at least had initial discussions on what a contract would look like, should Rodgers return for a 22nd NFL season. In the slow drip of news common with Rodgers this time of year, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted the Steelers and Rodgers have discussed financial terms.
“There has been communication between the Steelers and Rodgers’ agent, Dave Dunn,” Pelissero said during a Friday interview on the Rich Eisen Show. “That communication has been positive. They have talked numbers.”
Pelissero doesn’t specify when the two sides “talked numbers” or how extensive those talks have been. Late last month, Pittsburgh technically made a contract offer by using the unrestricted tender on him. That will pay him 110 percent of his 2025 base salary, about $15 million, in 2026. But the two sides can still work out a separate deal, and the tender was viewed as a placeholder and business move in the unlikely event Rodgers signs elsewhere.
It may have also gotten the ball rolling on contract talks. A starting point, at least.
Pelissero made clear he still doesn’t believe money will prove to be a sticking point in getting a deal across the finish line.
“I do not believe, based on what I know, that the contract is going to hold this up,” he said.
Pelissero noted the historic amount of money Rodgers has made throughout his career. Re-signing with Pittsburgh will push him over the $400 million barrier, and he’s likely to become the highest-paid player in NFL history. Matthew Stafford currently holds the top spot. If he falls into second, he could pass Rodgers by with a new deal later this summer.
A deal with Rodgers should carry similar framework as last year. A modest base salary with incentives to push the deal up several million more. Both sides have to color in the details, and the final numbers are always worth examining. But it’s good to know both sides have at least broached the topic of money. It may not be the final hurdle, but it’s one that must be cleared before anything becomes official.
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