On Saturday night, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers let the NFL world know he would be returning for his 22nd season. His new contract reunites him with Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy, with whom he won his only Super Bowl in Green Bay in 2010.
The current oldest player in the league will almost certainly be Pittsburgh's Week 1 starter, which says a lot about the team’s quarterback situation. Rodgers has proven to be serviceable, especially at his age, but the team’s other options have not shown they can come close to the 42-year-old’s productivity.
Rodgers will be turning 43 this December, but he still stands alone as Pittsburgh's best quarterback by far.
MORE:Details of Aaron Rodgers new contract with the Steelers
Steelers QB Depth Chart
Pittsburgh currently has four quarterbacks signed in the quarterback room, two of them being drafted in the previous two drafts. Here is how the Steelers look at the QB position.
Rank QB
1 Aaron Rodgers
2 Mason Rudolph
3 Will Howard
4 Drew Allar
Aaron Rodgers
The NFL's oldest player is back and ramping up for his 22nd season. The four-time MVP and Super Bowl 45 winner made it official by suiting up for his second season with the Steelers. Now reunited with former Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy, Rodgers will be playing in what is likely his final season in the NFL. When healthy, he will surely be the team's starter and has shown he can play at a serviceable level despite being the oldest player in the NFL. Throughout his career, Rodgers has thrown for 66,274 yards, 527 touchdowns, and 123 interceptions while completing 65.1% of his passes, according to Pro Football Reference.
MORE:Why did Steelers hire Mike McCarthy as head coach?
Mason Rudolph
Rudolph has spent the vast majority of his career in Pittsburgh (five years as a Steeler, one year as part of the Tennessee Titans). He has made 19 starts in his six-year career but has never given his team a reason to make him the week-in, week-out starter. Pittsburgh selected Rudolph with the No. 76 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but he didn't start until 2019. Across his career, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy has thrown for 4,925 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions while completing 64.4% of his passes according to Pro Football Reference.
Will Howard
Pittsburgh drafted Howard with the No. 185 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Kansas State and Ohio State project never touched the field last season. He did fracture his hand a month before the season started, and he was on the team's injured reserve until November. In college, Howard threw for 9,796 yards, 83 touchdowns, and 35 interceptions while completing 63.8% of his passes, according to Sports Reference.
Drew Allar
Allar became the latest addition to the Steelers' quarterback room after the team selected him with the No. 76 overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The former Penn State Nittany Lion will most likely not see much of the field this season, and may take a while to develop into a viable NFL quarterback. During his four-year career at Penn State, he compiled 7,402 passing yards, 61 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a 63.2% completion percentage, according to Sports Reference.
MORE:What does drafting Drew Allar mean for Pittsburgh's quarterbacks?
Aaron Rodgers contract details
On Saturday night, shortly after the 151st Preakness Stakes concluded, Rodgers and the Steelers agreed on a one-year extension for the veteran to make his return to Pittsburgh, according to Adam Schefter.
Compensation update: Aaron Rodgers is expected to sign a one-year deal worth up to $25 million, per sources. The deal is expected to include a base salary between $22 and $23 million, with up to a few million more in incentives.
The deal still needs to be finalized and signed. https://t.co/jzndq6HNM3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 17, 2026
The deal has a ceiling of totaling $25 million, including incentives. As a baseline, Rodgers will earn between $22 and $23 million dollars in 2026. The quarterback will earn the 18th-highest salary among his position, according to Spotrac.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Steelers of all time
How old is Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers is currently 42 years old. The current Steelers quarterback was born on December 2, 1983, and will be turning 43 during the 2026 season.
He is both the oldest player and quarterback to still be rostered in the NFL. The 2026 season will be Rodgers' 22nd season. The oldest player in NFL history was QB/K George Blanda, who played until he was 48 years old.
MORE:Who were the oldest players during last year's NFL season?
Aaron Rodgers 2025 stats
Despite his age, Rodgers has continued putting forth solid numbers during his time with the Steelers. He had just the 23rd most interceptions in the league last season (seven) and finished with 24 touchdown passes.
Here is a full breakdown of Rodgers' 2025 season stats, according to Pro Football Reference.
Games Record Pass yards CMP% TDs INTs
16 10-6 3,322 65.7% 24 7
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