Pittsburgh Steelers place tender on quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers posted a 10-6 record last season as the Pittsburgh Steelers' starter. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI April 28 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers placed a rare unrestricted free agent tender on quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a league source told UPI on Tuesday. News of the application of the tender was sent to NFL teams.
Rodgers signed a 1-year, $13. 6 million deal with the Steelers last off-season. The 42-year-old, who has yet to commit to playing in 2026-27, remains free to sign with any NFL franchise.
The tender allows the Steelers to potentially receive a compensatory draft pick if Rodgers signs with another team. The Steelers also will retain exclusive negotiations rights for the quarterback if he does not sign with another team by July 22 or the first day of Steelers training camp -- whichever date is later. Rodgers waited until June to sign with the Steelers last off-season.
Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar, a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, are the quarterbacks set to be on the Steelers' depth chart at training camp. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract last off-season. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in February he didn't expect Rodgers' unknown status to "drag on" in 2026 like it did last off-season.
Khan also said "the door is open" for Rodgers' return, but the Steelers would proceed as if he were a free agent. Khan said last week that "nothing's changed" about Rodgers' status. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared in 264 games through his first 21 seasons in the NFL.