Aaron Rodgers waited until nearly the final possible moment before committing to the Steelers.
Finally, in joining the team, he ended months of speculation by agreeing to a one-year deal with the franchise shortly before offseason activities begin.
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The 42-year-old quarterback finalized the agreement after spending much of the offseason supposedly weighing his future, although the general expectation was that Rodgers would be back in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers reportedly expected that Rodgers could choose to return for his 22nd season before the start of the NFL combine in February or at least before the start of the NFL draft in April, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Houston Texans, January 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. AP
May 18 then became the deadline for Pittsburgh, with their patience reportedly running thin.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, on “The Rich Eisen Show” last week, floated the idea of the Steelers potentially moving without Rodgers if he let things drag out too far.
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The four-time MVP delayed making a decision while allegedly considering retirement and other options.
Rodgers informed Steelers officials of his decision only days before the organization’s mandatory minicamp, allowing the team to avoid entering the summer without clarity at the position.
The Steelers also have Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar on their quarterback depth chart.
Rodgers helped lead Pittsburgh to the playoffs one season ago, throwing for 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while logging over 3,300 passing yards.
Aaron Rodgers will be back for his 22nd NFL season. Getty Images
The Steelers won the AFC North with a 10-7 record, although their season ended with a 30-6 loss to the Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
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The Steelers, who have been a playoff team for five of their last six seasons, haven’t won a postseason game since 2016.
Longtime head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down following last season after leading the team for nearly two decades.
The Steelers then hired former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who also coached Rodgers in Green Bay for most of his Packers tenure.
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