Ian Rapoport has ruled out other NFL teams for Aaron Rodgers, leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers as the likely landing spot, and Rodgers‘ decision on 2026 will finally end months of speculation about his future.
The 42-year-old, four-time MVP enjoyed a mixed but strong 2025 season with the Steelers, throwing for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while guiding the team to a 10-7 record, and an AFC North title.
After a wild-card loss to the Houston Texans, Rodgers faced uncertainty, especially as Mike Tomlin stepped down, and Mike McCarthy returned to the helm, giving the quarterback reason to consider staying for another season.
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Rodgers signed a one-year, $13.6 million contract last summer, and his consistent performance, despite age and minor injuries, left both fans and analysts hopeful that the veteran would remain in Pittsburgh for 2026.
Ian Rapoport provided clarity, signaling Rodgers‘ choice could come before free agency, and suggested that the Steelers are his likely destination.
“Surely an answer is coming before free agency,” Rapoport said at the NFL Combine. “That’s what it feels like. Pittsburgh or nothing. Good experience [in 2025]. Liked the locker room a lot, like, made some friends. It was a really good experience.
“Played certainly well enough, played through injuries. If he was going to come back for anyone, Mike McCarthy makes sense, so obviously, that would seem to be the spot.”
Rodgers refuses to give anything away regarding NFL future
For now, the Steelers remain in limbs as Rodgers weighs his 2026 options, though General Manager Omar Khan indicated this year’s process should be quicker and less complicated than last season’s drawn-out saga.
Negotiations are expected to move efficiently and whilst Khan did not set a hard deadline before free agency on March 11, he stressed that both sides aim to avoid unnecessary delays.
Rodgers has approached the decision cautiously, with private visits to Pittsburgh’s facility and multiple discussions with team leadership, demonstrating careful thought, and weighing both personal and professional considerations before committing.
Public comments have been measured rather than decisive. “I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said after the season, leaving fans unsure, while mid-March is widely expected as a window for a decision coinciding with early free agency.
There are also quarterback alternatives on the market if Rodgers retires, such as Daniel Jones, recovering from an Achilles injury, Malik Willis, who has started cleanly with the Packers, or a short-term option like Kirk Cousins, if Pittsburgh moves on.
Regardless of Rodgers‘ decision, the Steelers are preparing for the future with 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft and the development of sixth-rounder Will Howard alongside veteran Mason Rudolph, ensuring options at quarterback remain available.
