A Thursday report claimed that Aaron Rodgers could re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers to resume his role as the team’s starting quarterback for at least the 2026 season before this past weekend wrapped up.
However, it was later said that no meeting was “scheduled or expected” involving Rodgers and the Steelers for Saturday or Sunday. For an update shared during Monday’s edition of the ESPN “Get Up” program, NFL insider Dan Graziano hinted that Rodgers seemingly is no closer to putting pen to paper on a deal than he was as of Friday evening.
The Steelers still hadn’t met with Aaron Rodgers as of Monday morning
“What we have been told as of last night is that no meeting has yet taken place,” Graziano said about the latest developments in the Rodgers-related saga, per Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. “I haven’t been given any indication that this ends any other way than with Rodgers back with the Steelers, but it’s Rodgers, and you know he likes to keep us guessing.”
Graziano isn’t the only national reporter who has suggested since last week that Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh for another campaign is the likely end to this story. For what it is worth, the Steelers allegedly plan to give 2025 rookie Will Howard “a very real chance to compete for a starting job if Rodgers is not back.”
Pittsburgh reportedly wants to let 2026 third-round draft pick Drew Allar spend a season developing as an unused QB3, so the Steelers would be on track to start Howard or longtime backup Mason Rudolph if Rodgers rides off into the sunset of retirement.
Is there a new deadline for an Aaron Rodgers decision?
“[Rodgers] is going to do things on his own timetable,” Graziano continued. “…He’s been upfront about it. He doesn’t have to play. He could retire. He has been in contact with [the Steelers], and they know where he stands. The question is when it gets done.”
Interestingly, Graziano said that Rodgers once again could wait until right before the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp gets underway on June 2 to sign a contract with the team. Last year, Rodgers waited to ink his deal until the start of mandatory minicamp practices even though then-head coach Mike Tomlin knew for some time that the future Hall of Famer would be Pittsburgh’s QB1 for the 2025 campaign.
It was previously said that Rodgers could re-sign with Pittsburgh in time to report for the start of OTAs on May 18. As of Monday, Graziano sounded unconvinced that’s now a given.