Just when it looked like Aaron Rodgers was going to show up at the Pittsburgh Steelers' facility and be a night in shining armor for the team's decision-makers, another wrinkle has been added to the fold that plants doubt in Rodgers inking a deal with the team.
On Thursday, Adam Crowley of 93.7 The Fan first reported that Rodgers planned to fly to Pittsburgh with the intention of signing a deal. This was reiterated by NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Rodgers-to-the-Steelers felt like a done deal.
But just one day later, Rapoport offered an update on Good Morning Football that muddied the waters in the whole Rodgers debacle.
Rapoport is now saying that we can't speak in certainty about whether Rodgers will sign with the Steelers, and that those in the organization still don't know. The prominent insider also noted that there are other places the Steelers can go to find a quarterback if it's not Rodgers.
"Because it's Aaron Rodgers, because it's really hard to speak in certainty, it's tough to tell if everything you said is true. My sense is, Rodgers has assumed he was going to be back, the Steelers have assumed he was going to be back. I don't believe there was an agreement because when you talk to people with the Steelers, they still say, 'We don't know. We haven't heard. It's unclear until he signs. We aren't sure'..."
There are different places for the Steelers to go at quarterback if it's not Rodgers. But it's pretty notable that they have not done any of those things... Because it's Aaron Rodgers, you never quite know for sure..."
And just like that, Steelers fans are left wondering what this all means.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' hold-up with Aaron Rodgers could be over money
It seems the two sides have hit a roadblock. If the initial report was true, one has the right to wonder why we haven't officially heard of Rodgers' intentions to play or to sign a deal with the team. This could be a financial issue.
The Steelers recently placed the Unrestricted Free Agent tender on Rodgers, meaning that—if he chooses to sign with another team before July 22, Pittsburgh would receive a compensatory pick in next year's draft for his departure. It also means Rodgers is set for a 10 percent raise, bringing his 2026 salary to $15 million.
Though Rodgers insisted that it's not about the money, the starting quarterback may feel that he is grossly underpaid compared to market value. Rodgers' $15 million would rank 18th among quarterbacks in terms of average annual value for the 2026 season—below players like Malik Willis and Baker Mayfield.
Based on his advanced statistics, Rodgers might be overpaid. But considering the veteran quarterback threw for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns with just seven interceptions last year, he likely wants a bigger paycheck.
This is the most reasonable theory for the hold-up. But at the end of the day, we don't know exactly what's going on with the talks between the two parties.
Many Steelers fans are hopeful that the team will move on and aim toward the future with a young pair of quarterbacks in Will Howard and Drew Allar. Perhaps there's a chance they get their wish after all.
However, when it's all said and done, it still feels like Aaron Rodgers is going to be the quarterback of this team in 2026. Right now, we're left playing the waiting game.
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