Aaron Rodgers Expected to Visit Steelers; Likely to Return in 2026, Sources Say

Aaron Rodgers is expected to visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday and through the weekend, and he is likely to play for Pittsburgh in 2026, according to sources cited by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on Thursday. But Rapoport also cautioned that “a deal is not done,” and the Steelers had not announced a signed contract or issued a press release confirming any agreement as of Thursday.

The development would amount to a return, not a new landing spot. Rodgers, the free-agent quarterback, started for Pittsburgh in 2025, and another deal would give the Steelers clarity at the game’s most important position heading into the next phase of their offseason. Rapoport wrote Thursday: “FA QB Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to visit the #Steelers Friday and this weekend, will likely play for them in 2026. 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.”

Pittsburgh’s most relevant recent move came April 28, when the team placed an unrestricted free-agent tender on Rodgers. Reporting at the time described the one-year tender, worth roughly $15 million, as a placeholder while negotiations continued rather than a finalized contract. Thursday’s report suggests those talks may be moving closer to a resolution, though not yet to the finish line.

Rodgers’ 2025 season helps explain why a reunion has remained a prominent storyline. He threw for about 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions during the regular season as the Steelers went 10-7, won the AFC North and reached the playoffs. Pittsburgh’s season ended Jan. 12, 2026, with a wild-card loss to Houston.

The Steelers’ broader offseason changes also frame the situation. Coach Mike Tomlin stepped down on Jan. 13, one day after that playoff defeat, and Pittsburgh later hired Mike McCarthy as his replacement. McCarthy previously coached Rodgers in Green Bay, making their reunion one of the more obvious connections in Pittsburgh’s search for continuity after Tomlin’s departure.

At quarterback, the Steelers also added Penn State’s Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 76 overall. Allar gives the team a developmental option, but if Rodgers does finalize a return, he would be expected to enter the season as Pittsburgh’s clear starter.

A local report from 93.7 The Fan earlier Thursday added similar momentum to the story. Adam Crowley of “The Fan Morning Show” said, “This is not a drill. This is real. Aaron Rodgers expected to be in town tonight, with the expectation of him signing this weekend.” Still, the primary reporting from NFL Network carried the key caveat: Rodgers is expected in Pittsburgh and is likely to play there in 2026, but nothing is official until a contract is signed and the team announces it.