Steelers Owner Explained Why They Placed Rare Tag on Aaron Rodgers

For the second consecutive year, the Steelers are waiting on word from Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers, 42, has yet to decide if he will return to play for the 2026 season. The Steelers indicated earlier in the offseason that they expected to know Rodgers’s decision earlier they did last year when he didn’t sign until June, but so far, that has not been the case.

“We’ve been in contact with Aaron on a regular basis,” Steelers owner Art Rooney II told Tom Pelissero and Judy Battista on The Insiders. “He’s been keeping us up to date on his plans. Even though I thought it probably would have been concluded by now, I think we will come to a conclusion here in the next few weeks.”

“Even though I thought it probably would have been concluded by now, I think we will come to a conclusion here in the next few weeks."

Steelers president Art Rooney II discussed Aaron Rodgers’ decision, draft week in Pittsburgh and more on The Insiders @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/KyHuS5Vk2V
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 29, 2026

Amid the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers, the Steelers made the intriguing decision to place the right of first refusal tag on Rodgers, a contract move that would give Pittsburgh the chance to match any offer sheet if Rodgers were to sign elsewhere. If Rodgers did sign with another team, this move ensures the Steelers can receive a compensatory pick back.

Rooney explained both the reasoning and timing behind placing the right of first refusal tag on Rodgers, a tag that is rarely used in the NFL.

“The main thing that the tender gives us is the potential for a [compensatory] pick if Aaron would choose to go to another team,” Rooney said. “We don’t expect that, but by the same token, you never know. It’s just something we had the opportunity to protect if needed. The deadline was Monday, so if we were gonna do it, we had to pull the trigger on Monday. We alerted Aaron and his representative that we were gonna do it. Not a real big deal, but just something that in the unlikely event that he goes somewhere else, we are eligible for a comp pick.”

Due to Rodgers’s timeline, the Steelers remain in limbo in regards to who their starting quarterback will be next season. The tag made it appear Rodgers could be in play to join a team other than the Steelers, though Rooney has seemingly squashed that possibility for now.

MORE: The Steelers Can’t Let Aaron Rodgers Hold Them Hostage Any Longer

The Steelers drafted Drew Allar in the third round as another option in the quarterback room, but he needs time to develop and is not expected to start right away. They also have Will Howard and Mason Rudolph on the roster, though Howard doesn’t have starting experience and Rudolph has primarily been a backup.

Rodgers is at the tail end of his Hall of Fame career, but he at least offers an experienced option for the Steelers as they stall on finding their long-term solution at the position. Rodgers completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven picks last season as the Steelers advanced to the wild-card round of the playoffs.

After Mike Tomlin stepped down from his head coaching job, the Steelers brought in Rodgers’s longtime coach on the Packers, Mike McCarthy, seemingly making a return for Rodgers a logical move. The Steelers have improved their supporting cast by signing Rico Dowdle, trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and drafting Germie Bernard and Max Iheanachor, moves that would help Rodgers, who does not have the mobility and awe-striking playmaking ability he did in his prime.

All signs point to the Steelers being ready for Rodgers. He, however, is taking his time to make his decision once again.

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