Eyebrows throughout the NFL community were raised when it was learned on Tuesday that the Pittsburgh Steelers had placed a rarely-used unrestricted free agent tender on veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers coming off the 2026 draft.
Some understandably wondered if the latest Rodgers-related update indicates that the Steelers now believe he may wait and then try to sign with a different club. During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” league insider Tom Pelissero of NFL Network suggested that Rodgers and the Steelers are still on the same page regarding the 2026 season.
“Nothing has changed” about Aaron Rodgers’ Steelers future after tender decision
“My understanding is, they gave Aaron and his agent a heads up prior to doing this,” Pelissero said about Pittsburgh’s use of the tender, per Jake Brockhoff of Steelers Depot. “It is strictly a formality. This does not change anything. Nothing has changed…everything seems to be pointing in the direction of Aaron Rodgers coming back.”
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor noted that a Steelers source referred to using the tender on Rodgers as a “procedural” move. Pittsburgh will now receive a compensatory draft pick if Rodgers signs with another team. The Steelers will have exclusive negotiating rights for Rodgers if he remains unsigned until July 22 or the first day of Pittsburgh’s training camp, whichever comes later.
Per the terms of the tender, Rodgers is due to make about $15M if he plays for the Steelers this season.
Will Steelers using the tender be an issue for Aaron Rodgers?
Before the news about the Steelers using the tender on Rodgers went public, a report shared that there remained “a sense within the” organization that he will confirm “in the coming weeks” that he will be Pittsburgh’s QB1 for the 2026 season. Mike DeFabo of The Athletic seems to think Rodgers may report to the Steelers before organized team activities begin on May 18.
“It’s not like Aaron Rodgers read this on the Internet when he woke up in whatever country he’s in right now,” Pelissero added. “This is very much something that was communicated to him. They sent it over. I don’t anticipate, from what I know, that this is any type of issue.”
In short, it sounds like everybody involved still believes Rodgers won’t ride off into the sunset of retirement this spring or summer. 2025 rookie Will Howard, longtime backup Mason Rudolph and 2026 third-round draft pick Drew Allar are on track to be part of a Steelers quarterback room that could also include Rodgers when mandatory minicamp sessions take place from June 2-4.