Aaron Rodgers signs to play 22nd NFL season with Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Rodgers again took his time to contemplate the next step of his career, but he won't extend his wait into the summer this time around. Rodgers agreed to sign a one-year contract worth up to $25 million to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers , according to multiple reports, opting to push forward with a 22nd season in his storied career. He was expected to visit the team earlier in May — though there are conflicting reports whether he actually did — with the expectation that he would sign shortly thereafter.

The move brings clarity for both the 42-year-old quarterback and coach Mike McCarthy, who previously coached Rodgers for 13 seasons in Green Bay. After signing a one-year deal with the Steelers last June, Rodgers told "The Pat McAfee Show" that he was "pretty sure" he would not play beyond the deal. Yet after McCarthy was hired to succeed Mike Tomlin, who resigned after a 19-year run , the coach made it clear he would welcome a reunion with the four-time NFL MVP.

"I mean definitely. I don't see why you wouldn't," McCarthy said at his introductory news conference when asked whether he wanted Rodgers back with the team. "I have spoken to Aaron, and so that's really where we are there, but I was able to sit back and watch the games and watch most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team.

" "We've had some great communication with Aaron and nothing's changed, but it's all been positive and good," Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in April. "And I said this to you guys in March when we met: he knows how we feel about him and we know how he feels about us. " The Steelers in May applied the seldom used unrestricted free agent tender on Rodgers, but Rooney later explained it was strictly a procedural move that would open the possibility for a compensatory pick if the quarterback signed elsewhere.