Aaron Rodgers Returns to Steelers on New One-Year Contract for 2026
Aaron Rodgers has never made anything easy, and this offseason was no different. After signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers last June, the 42-year-old quarterback put together a solid debut in Pittsburgh, throwing for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns while helping the team win the AFC North with a 10-win season.
Then the offseason arrived, and the waiting game started all over again. Weeks of silence followed, capped by a visit to Pittsburgh, where Rodgers didn't even stop by the team facility. Steelers fans had every reason to be on edge.
But the saga is over. Rodgers has agreed to a new one-year contract to return to Pittsburgh for the 2026 season, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The contract is worth up to $25 million, with a base salary between $22 and $23 million and additional incentives on top of that.
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.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 17, 2026
The deal still needs to be finalized and signed. https://t.co/jzndq6HNM3
The deal still needs to be finalized, but Rodgers is expected to be at the Steelers' voluntary offseason practice sessions when they begin Monday. Quite the contrast to last year when he didn't commit until mandatory minicamp in June. The new QB room now lists Rodgers alongside Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar.
Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy Reunite in Pittsburgh
The signing also sets up one of the more compelling reunions in recent NFL history. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy spent months publicly backing Rodgers to return and now gets his former quarterback back under center. The two spent 13 seasons together in Green Bay from 2006 to 2018, a run that produced eight straight playoff appearances, two MVP awards for Rodgers, and a Super Bowl XLV title.
McCarthy replaced Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh this offseason and takes over the play-calling duties as well. The offense is expected to lean heavily on quick-game passing concepts built around keeping Rodgers upright and comfortable, a noticeable shift from what the unit looked like under former coordinator Arthur Smith.
Rodgers came to Pittsburgh after 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and two with the New York Jets, with a Hall of Fame case that was already written before he ever took a snap in black and gold. Earlier this year, he hinted the 2025 season might be his last. Clearly, he changed his mind.
Pittsburgh had hoped for an answer back in March. The process dragged into spring once again, though the Steelers did avoid a repeat of last year's wait that stretched all the way into June.
Now the focus shifts to what he and McCarthy can build together in year one.
Related: Former Super Bowl Champion Issues Blunt Patriots Prediction for 2026 Season
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This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 7:14 PM.