Maybe Steelers Fans Should Believe Broncos' Aaron Rodgers Rumor

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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers made headlines across the NFL world after placing a seldom-used label on their most polarizing player. Now, only days after the NFL Draft, the Aaron Rodgers saga is taking a strange turn.
The Steelers placed a UFA Tender on Rodgers, allowing them to earn compensatory draft credit if the 43-year-old quarterback signs with another team. It also means they exclusively have his rights after July 22 of this year, forcing a trade with another team if he were to try to join someone else.
As to why, no one really knows. Rodgers and the Steelers have continued to have positive conversations, and the team keeps telling everyone they believe he'll be their quarterback in 2026. But maybe Rodgers is considering his options outside of the Steelers and retirement, which brings up a rumor that everyone immediately swept under the rug.
The Aaron Rodgers Rumor Fans Should Revisit
After the 2026 NFL League Meetings, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio tossed out the idea that the Denver Broncos could be a sneaky contender for Rodgers. With Bo Nix dealing with a fractured ankle late in the postseason, the Broncos may be a team ready to win now, but uncertain of their most important piece.
"There’s talk of the Broncos possibly bringing Rodgers in for a visit. The motivation comes from the possibility that current starter Bo Nix won’t be fully and completely back to 100 percent when Week 1 rolls around," Florio wrote.
The conversation didn't gain much steam, but only hours after the news of Pittsburgh placing the tender on Rodgers, news of the Broncos came out as well.
Where It Gets Interesting
According to Broncos insider Benjamin Albright, Nix had a recheck of his ankle this week. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport then reported that everything was normal, and while the expectations remains that Nix will return before the season, Denver is being cautious about his recovery.
During his scheduled re-check with Dr. Norman Waldrop last week, #Broncos QB Bo Nix had a successful and anticipated follow-up clean-up procedure on his ankle, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2026
While the team is expected to be conservative with his participation during the offseason… https://t.co/gwhl0gnJV6
Maybe Rodgers really is aware of other opportunities. And while the Steelers are still a good one, the Broncos are probably better, and they probably aren't the only possible outcome.
All it takes is one injury and Rodgers becomes the biggest name on the free agent market. He may be aware of that and wants to keep his options open for as long as he can. It's possible the Steelers are aware of that and needed to act accordingly, and rumors like the Broncos are ones everyone should be keeping an eye on.
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Noah Strackbein is a Publisher for On SI, covering the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2019. A Jessup, PA native, Noah attended Point Park University, where he fell in love with the Steel City and everything it has to offer. You can find Noah's work at Steelers On SI and weekdays as the hosts of All Steelers Talk.
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