Aaron Rodgers is returning to Pittsburgh for a second season with the Steelers. After spending more than four months contemplating his future, Rodgers, who will turn 43 in December, has decided to return for a 22nd NFL season and remain Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero had the report moments ago.
It’s a one-year deal, Pelissero says.
Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers agreed to terms on a one-year deal, sources tell NFL Network.
Now entering his 22nd NFL season, Rodgers reunites with Mike McCarthy for one more run in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/BQxlExUGhe
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 16, 2026
It was an increasingly expected decision after the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy, his longtime Green Bay head coach, to replace Mike Tomlin. At the NFL Combine, GM Omar Khan said he believed an answer would come “sooner than later.” During this year’s NFL owners meetings, Art Rooney II noted he expected an answer before the draft. Ultimately, Rodgers bypassed that timeline but gave the Steelers the answer they expected all along.
On Thursday, May 7, 93.7 The Fan reported Rodgers would visit the Steelers over the weekend. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed the report, but noted no deal was officially done, and reporting from Mark Kaboly and Tom Pelissero countered those claims. No matter the particulars, the deal is officially happening.
Then, on Friday night Rodgers was spotted with teammates Mason Rudolph, Ben Skowronek and Pat Freiermuth at Kool Cones in North Park, signaling that Rodgers was potentially gearing up to sign ahead of the start of OTAs.
Now, he’s under contract ahead of the team’s voluntary OTAs that begin May 18. Rodgers has no obligation to attend so it’ll be worth watching to see if he participates. Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp takes place June 2-4.
In late April, Pittsburgh placed the rarely used unrestricted tender on Rodgers that would potentially entitle the team to a 2027 compensatory selection and gave the Steelers exclusive rights to Rodgers until July 22. That tender proved moot with Rodgers signing with the Steelers well ahead of the deadline.
Pittsburgh’s quarterback room is now made up of Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar.
When Tomlin stepped down less than 24 hours after Pittsburgh’s Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans, it seemed certain Rodgers would exit alongside him. But tabbing McCarthy as the team’s next head coach opened the door for a Rodgers return, though owner Art Rooney II made clear that wasn’t the reason behind McCarthy’s selection. Past reports painted a tense relationship between Rodgers and McCarthy, but those notions were either unfounded or the two mended fences over the years.
Still, McCarthy immediately assembled a group of coaches familiar to Rodgers. Most notably, offensive line coach James Campen, who shares an especially close friendship with Rodgers. Campen worked alongside Rodgers for most of his Green Bay career, which spanned from 2005-2018.
No longer needing to learn a brand-new offense, Rodgers will try to build on his 2025 season with Pittsburgh. He finished the year throwing for over 3,300 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions, leading the Steelers to their first division crown since 2020. Rodgers’ production was the best Pittsburgh has received in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. His steady and calm leadership proved an intangible benefit, and he didn’t make media waves the way many feared before 2025 began.
Reportedly, teammates passionately encouraged the organization to bring Rodgers back. Of course, the decision was largely left up to Rodgers and whether or not he wanted to retire. But with body and mind feeling good compared to his two-year stint with the New York Jets, Rodgers has opted to come back.
Rodgers will enter 2026 as Pittsburgh’s unquestioned starter. The Steelers seemingly opted against pursuing any other quarterback in free agency with no credible reports connecting them to Malik Willis or Kyler Murray. Kirk Cousins was reportedly on the team’s radar, but he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in early April, well before Rodgers’ decision became official.
Embarking on a 22nd NFL season, Rodgers will become just the eighth player in league history to achieve such a feat. He becomes only the second who wasn’t a specialist for some or all of their career, joining Tom Brady and his 23 seasons. George Blanda is the record holder at 26, playing from 1949-1975.
Though Rodgers already ranks near the top of virtually all NFL passing records, the upcoming season will allow him to climb even higher. He needs 13 touchdown passes to give him 540 and surpass Peyton Manning for third all-time. Assuming he does so, he’ll rank behind only Tom Brady (649) and Drew Brees (571).
Rodgers and the Steelers will be searching for postseason wins that have eluded both for far too long. Pittsburgh hasn’t won in the postseason since 2016. Rodgers hasn’t since 2020. Together, they were bounced in last year’s Wild Card game against a stout Houston Texans defense that held the Steelers to just six points. Rodgers’ final pass of the season, but not his career, was a pick-six.
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