Aaron Rodgers has agreed to a new one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 NFL season. The 42-year-old quarterback will enter his 22nd season and is expected to start for Pittsburgh again in 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
The contract reportedly includes a guaranteed base salary between $22 million and $23 million, with incentives that could raise the total to $25 million [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8]. Rodgers is reuniting with head coach Mike McCarthy, who coached him for 13 years in Green Bay and with whom he won Super Bowl XLV after the 2010 season [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8].
Rodgers led the Steelers to a 10-7 record and an AFC North title in 2025 before they fell to the Houston Texans in the playoffs [1, 2, 5, 9]. Despite injuries and an inconsistent season, Rodgers completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions [2, 3, 10].
Pittsburgh held an unrestricted free agent tender on Rodgers earlier in 2026 to maintain some control over his signing [2, 4, 5]. The team also added new quarterbacks Drew Allar, their 2026 third-round draft pick, and Will Howard, a sixth-round pick from 2025, as potential successors [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7].
The Steelers’ offense ranked about mid-tier in 2025, with a solid running game but a passing attack seen as a relative weakness despite Rodgers’ performance [9, 6]. Steelers management views Rodgers’ return as a way to balance competitiveness in the short term while developing young talent and improving the roster [9, 6].
Rodgers began practicing with the team and participated in organized team activities (OTA) on May 18, 2026, with OTAs scheduled to continue [2, 4, 5, 7]. Receiver Michael Pittman Jr. praised Rodgers’ presence, saying, "Even in the first day, he made a couple of great throws, and I was like, wow, I'm really playing with Aaron" [7]. Rodgers reflected on his career saying, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is it... I played 20 fricking years. It's been a long run." [4]
The Steelers will look to Rodgers to lead the offense again as they prepare for the 2026 season under McCarthy’s direction at head coach, a role he assumed in January 2026 [1, 2, 4, 5].
