Aaron Rodgers Can't Make Steelers Wait Any Longer

Aaron Rodgers must finally end his stay on the open market and sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) drops back to pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

At last, there finally appears to be some momentum on the Aaron Rodgers front for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

According to 93.7 The Fan's Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson, Rodgers is headed to Pittsburgh with the intention of signing with the team over the weekend, which would put an end to the months-long saga.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport backed up that notion by reporting that Rodgers will "likely play" for the Steelers in 2026 and that he is expected to visit this weekend.

FA QB Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to visit the #Steelers Friday and this weekend, will likely play for them in 2026, sources say.

A deal is not done & there is always caution until things are signed. But Rodgers’ plan is to play for PIT & these are steps toward that end. pic.twitter.com/ZVoHTCDBdh

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 7, 2026

There's always a chance things could go sideways, as Rapoport noted, but Rodgers cannot make Pittsburgh wait for his decision any longer.

Why Rodgers Needs to Sign with Steelers Now

Unlike last offseason, when Rodgers wasn't necessarily at the top of mind for the Steelers until they failed to re-sign Justin Fields, the four-time MVP has been the team's No. 1 quarterback ever since they hired Mike McCarthy as Mike Tomlin's successor.

At first, it appeared as though Rodgers and Pittsburgh would come to a timely resolution, with the start of free agency essentially circled as an artifical "deadline" of sorts.

After nothing came to fruition by that point in time, the 2026 NFL Draft was the new target date for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on after being sacked during the first half of the NFL Wild Card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026. | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Once again, Rodgers did not make his decision official by that date and kept Pittsburgh guessing to a certain extent, which is part of the reason why the organization placed the UFA tender on him in order to protect themselves against him signing elsewhere.

In reality, however, there aren't any other realistic landing spots for Rodgers outside of the Steelers, regardless of the recent buzz connecting him to the Arizona Cardinals. That's what has made his determination to extend his stay on the open market so puzzling.

With the start of OTAs (May 18) now being the latest in a line of cut-off points, it seems like Rodgers is willing to abide in this case.

Pittsburgh's young quarterbacks, Will Howard and Drew Allar, would've benefitted from taking additional reps during OTAs if Rodgers hadn't been there, but the latter's presence has been so long-awaited that any potentially adverse effects that come from his signing will be overlooked for the time being.

Again, there's a world in which Rodgers does not sign in the coming days simply because nothing is certain, especially with him.

If the two sides are this far down the road, though, it would behoove Rodgers to finally make his pact with the Steelers official instead of dragging out the situation even further.

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