Assessing Steelers’ QB Hierarchy Under Aaron Rodgers
After much ado, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers returned to the Steelers on a new deal last weekend then, shortly after, announced his plans to retire following the 2026 NFL season. Both bits of news could influence the makeup of the quarterbacks room moving forward in Pittsburgh, and the possibilities of who might be the odd man out are extremely interesting.
Rodgers is clearly the starter, as he returns for his 22nd season of NFL play, but in his return, he joined an existing three-man group. New head coach Mike McCarthy is surely thrilled to be reunited with his longtime quarterback from the pair’s time in Green Bay together, but he has routinely carried no more than three quarterbacks on the active roster in any given year, sometimes going with two but sticking with three a majority of the time. With Rodgers in tow, it now becomes a question of which of the other three will be the odd man out.
The three likely competing for two spots are veteran backup Mason Rudolph, 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard, and rookie third-round pick Drew Allar. While a couple of combinations seem like obvious favorites, there are several arguments that make this an intriguing battle to watch.
One seemingly obvious conclusion would be that Rudolph must be one of the two backups; in fact, it would be a reasonable presumption to say that he should be the primary backup. Since being taken in the third round out of Oklahoma State eight years ago, Rudolph has appeared in 34 games, starting 19 but never functioning as QB1 for a team. He’s shown over time that he can keep a team afloat, but a limited ceiling is likely going to keep him from being the man to eventually take the reins from Rodgers.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rudolph believes Rodgers’ presence bodes well for him. With Rodgers, he sees the Steelers as a “win now” team that could ride Rodgers off into the sunset on top. If they’re going all in on this one season to “win now,” they would need an experienced backup, in case Rodgers can’t make it all the way from start to finish. Fortunately for Rudolph, Howard and Allar have combined for zero NFL snaps as of today, and it’s hard to imagine the team would feel comfortable with either youngster coming off the bench right now in place of Rodgers.
Bucking against the obvious presumption, McCarthy, who has a penchant for developing quarterbacks, has expressed his preference for molding younger, less experienced arms. “I love the young guys, especially when you get them when they’re just starting out,” McCarthy said at rookie minicamp (per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor).
If that’s the case, then the argument could be made for holding on to the younger pair of backups. Howard has a slight advantage over Allar, having been on the team for a year longer, but Howard’s rookie-year redshirt was essentially a medical redshirt, keeping him away from many of the things that would’ve provided him a familiar edge over Allar. If McCarthy likes passers who are “just starting out,” Allar may be his perfect canvas. The Penn State-product didn’t even start playing the position until high school, and though he oozes potential, a lot of production failed to make it to the field in Happy Valley.
A Steelers correspondent on The Pat McAfee Show, Mark Kaboly seemed pretty of convinced of how things might shake out. He started with the obvious route, slotting Rodgers in at QB1 and Rudolph in as his experienced backup. Then, when choosing between Howard and Allar for the third spot, Kaboly opted for the higher-drafted Allar, who also has more years of team control remaining on his contract. Kaboly thinks this route also gives Pittsburgh its strongest chance to retain all four guys. Either young player would be placed on waivers, if cut, and be at risk of any team claiming them. Howard stands the best chance of clearing waivers to land on the practice squad, while Allar would likely draw a decent number of claims as a third-round pick with potential.
In a surprising update from just a couple days ago, though, Pryor reported that, at early practice activities, Howard has been taking QB2 reps over both Allar and Rudolph. As a third-round pick this year under McCarthy, it seems highly unlikely that Allar would be going anywhere, so Rudolph may just end up being the odd man out. We’d likely need to see this stack with much more consistency before truly believing that Howard has surpassed Rudolph on the depth chart, but it’s great experience for the Ohio State-product regardless.
To see where Rodgers’ retirement plans come into effect, one must fast forward a year. Further supporting the potential hierarchy Pryor noted, the notion Pittsburgh might move forward with Rudolph as the starter next year is highly unlikely. If it turns out the Steelers are not as competitive as they hope to be in Rodgers’ final year, McCarthy and Co. may be interested in seeing what they have in their younger arms.
There is so much time that will transpire before anything definitive decisions need to be made. Injuries or trades may make the team’s decision for them, or one of the three contenders could start to steal the show and run away with the job. While Rodgers is obviously the star of the room, it will be very interesting to see how the battle behind him plays out.
AFC Staff Updates: Merritt, Watts, Browns, Colts
A month ago, Chiefs cornerbacks coach David Merritt was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Merritt’s case was dismissed by the District Court of Johnson County.
At the time of Merritt’s arrest on the Kansas side of the border, no details accompanied the news to explain his arrest and charging, but the former NFL linebacker pleaded not guilty once given the opportunity in court as the Chiefs chose not to comment on the situation. Merritt’s attorney, Ryan Ginie, informed Garafolo that the District Attorney’s office “looked at (the case) a little more thoroughly and reviewed some additional information” before they “agreed it was a matter that should be dismissed.”
Following the case’s dismissal, the Chiefs are set to continue the offseason with their assistant coach of the past seven years. Merritt has helped coach a secondary unit on a defense that has routinely finished in the top half of the league in pass defense.
Here are a few other staff updates from around the AFC:
- After leaving Pittsburgh in March, veteran scout Chris Watts reportedly turned to the collegiate ranks of the game, joining the University of Texas “in a player personnel capacity,” per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Watts is coming off a four-year stay with the Steelers following a 15-year stint in the Giants’ front office. Watts scouted the Longhorns in his coverage of the south area for the Steelers, and he also has some experience working for the Senior Bowl.
- The Browns have added a veteran presence to their front office, hiring Mike Derice as their new mid-Atlantic area scout, according to Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com. Derice wasn’t with a team in 2025, but before his short sabbatical, he had gathered a combined 13 years of experience working with the Giants and Colts. He returns to work following a surprising parting of ways with New York a year ago.
- The Colts made a minor addition to their data/analytics group earlier this month. Per ESPN’s Seth Walder, Sam Swift was hired as a football data analyst in Indianapolis. Swift will be working his first full-time NFL position after interning with the Bills last year and working as a recruiting assistant as he finished school at the University of Iowa.
Poll: How Many Games Will Steelers Win In Aaron Rodgers’ Last Year?
Four-plus months after their season ended, the Steelers finally got an answer on quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ future last weekend. Rodgers agreed to return on a second straight one-year deal, which came as a relief to a Pittsburgh team that saw free agent and trade options erode over the past couple of months. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer announced on Wednesday that this will be his last season.
Rodgers won four MVPs during his heyday in Green Bay, where he played for head coach Mike McCarthy from 2006-18. He took home two of his MVPs and won his lone Super Bowl under McCarthy, who is now entering his first year as the Steelers’ head coach. Reluctant to rebuild in the wake of Mike Tomlin‘s January resignation, the Steelers turned to McCarthy in a win-now move. They famously never finished below .500 in any of Tomlin’s 19 seasons at the helm. They don’t expect that to change with Rodgers and McCarthy reuniting in 2026.
Tomlin stepped away from a team that went 10-7 and won the AFC North last season, but his decorated Pittsburgh tenure ended in unceremonious fashion. The Texans walked into the Steel City and bullied the Steelers in a 30-6 rout in the wild-card round. Rodgers, whom the Texans sacked four times, completed just 17 of 33 passes for 146 yards and an interception. He was far more effective than that during the regular season, which helps explain why the Steelers won their division. However, as he prepares for his 22nd season, Rodgers is much closer to an average starter than the QB demigod he was in Green Bay.
Although Father Time continues to gain on Rodgers, the Steelers saw him as their best choice throughout the offseason. With the expectation that Rodgers would eventually re-sign, they spent the past few months attempting to upgrade the roster around him. Adding capable receiving complements to DK Metcalf was a point of emphasis for general manager Omar Khan, who landed Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade with the Colts and selected Germie Bernard in the second round of the draft.
Twenty-six picks before he pulled in Bernard at No. 47, Khan tried to take former USC star wideout Makai Lemon 21st overall. However, while Khan was on the phone with Lemon, his plan fell through. The Eagles traded up to No. 20 to snag Lemon, leaving the Steelers to pivot to offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with their top choice. Iheanachor is beginning his career on the right side, while 2024 first-rounder Troy Fautanu could shift left as Broderick Jones recovers from neck surgery.
Elsewhere on offense, McCarthy reunited with another of his former players, running back Rico Dowdle, on a two-year, $12.25MM agreement in free agency. Dowdle was a Cowboy from 2020-24, McCarthy’s full five-year run as their head coach.
After rushing for his first 1,000-yard season in his last year in Dallas, Dowdle accomplished the feat again in 2025 with Carolina. He will give the Steelers a veteran replacement for Kenneth Gainwell, who signed a similar contract with the Buccaneers (two years, $14MM). Dowdle should feature prominently in a backfield that also includes Jaylen Warren, who just missed the 1,000-yard mark last season, as well as 2025 third-rounder Kaleb Johnson and rookie seventh-rounder Eli Heidenreich.
McCarthy, whose expertise is on the offensive side of the ball, brought in the experienced Patrick Graham as his defensive coordinator. The Steelers’ defense continues to boast plenty of household names as it begins life after Tomlin. T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith, Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Patrick Queen and Nick Herbig are among the holdovers from last year. The Steelers have since picked up a pair of new starters for their secondary in cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Jaquan Brisker.
Dean, a former Buccaneer who moved to Pittsburgh on a three-year, $36.75MM pact, will join Porter to comprise the Steelers’ top two outside corners. Although Dean missed three games in his seventh and final season in Tampa Bay, Pro Football Focus ranked his play a stellar fifth among 112 qualified corners.
Meanwhile, PFF rated Brisker a middling 45th among 91 safeties. The former Bear settled for a modest deal (one year, $5.5MM) to return to his native Pittsburgh in free agency. While Brisker has a troubling history of concussions, the four-year veteran logged his first 17-game/start season in 2025. If Brisker stays healthy again, the Steelers will expect him to provide an upgrade over departed safeties Kyle Dugger, Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers. They let all three of those defenders walk in free agency.
When PFR’s Sam Robinson previewed Pittsburgh’s offseason in March, he wrote: “There are worse places to be than the middle, but the Steelers have resided here for a long time. Will this offseason reveal a path toward a way out or deliver more of the same?”
As highlighted above, the Steelers have made some notable changes to their roster since the offseason commenced. Nevertheless, Vegas has set the Steelers’ over/under for wins at a middling 8.5. Falling short of that total would mark the Steelers’ first sub-.500 season since 2003. How do you expect them to fare in Rodgers’ last year? Have they done enough to stay ahead of division rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
How many games will the Steelers win in 2026?
Aaron Rodgers Plans To Retire After 2026
It appears Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will ride off into the sunset after the 2026 season. Meeting with the media on Wednesday, Rodgers revealed that he will only play one more year (via Brooke Pryor of ESPN).
“Yes,” said Rodgers when asked if this will be his last season.
It is worth pointing out that Rodgers made similar comments last June, a couple of weeks after the former Packer and Jet ended a protracted trip to free agency to join the Steelers. It was a similarly drawn-out process this spring, but Rodgers finally agreed to return last weekend for a guaranteed $22MM. Rodgers stated that he made the decision after last month’s draft, adding he has been in Pittsburgh since early May (via Pryor). The four-time MVP and future Hall of Famer is now in line to play his 22nd season at the age of 42 (he’ll turn 43 in December).
Rodgers’ respect for longtime head coach Mike Tomlin influenced his decision to sign with Pittsburgh in 2025. The two went on to form a strong connection in a 10-7, AFC North-winning campaign for the Steelers. Rodgers did not resemble his all-world Green Bay self, but he bounced back from a couple of forgettable Jets seasons to win 10 of his 16 starts. He completed 65.7% of passes (in line with his career mark of 65.1), tossed 24 touchdowns against just seven interceptions, and posted a respectable 94.8 traditional rating.
While the regular season was a success for the Rodgers-led Steelers, the franchise extended its playoff losing streak to seven games. Led by a ferocious defense, Houston went into Pittsburgh in the wild-card round and crushed the Steelers, 30-6. Tomlin resigned shortly after that. It appeared Rodgers would follow Tomlin out the door, but then the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as their head coach. McCarthy held the same position in Green Bay from 2006-18. He and Rodgers won their only Super Bowl together, and the QB also took home two of his MVP awards in that span.
Rodgers told reporters Wednesday that he suggested McCarthy to Steelers general manager Omar Khan after Tomlin stepped down (via Pryor). The QB and coach were in communication over the past few months.
“There is a full aspect circle that piqued my interest of coming back,” Rodgers said of reuniting with McCarthy (via Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show).
Tomlin never posted a sub-.500 season in any of his 19 years at the helm, and he ended his Pittsburgh tenure with three straight playoff berths. The Steelers will expect similar regular-season results in McCarthy’s first year and Rodgers’ last, though it will go down as a disappointment if they are once again immediately dispatched in the playoffs. The Steelers have not won a postseason game since January 2017, which has led to increased frustration from their fan base.
With Rodgers’ career nearing an end, the Steelers may have to shop for a starting signal-caller yet again next offseason. That will depend on how much faith they have in 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard and rookie third-rounder Drew Allar. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 campaign, Pittsburgh has been unable to find a long-term answer at the game’s foremost position.
The Steelers spent a 2022 first-rounder on Kenny Pickett, but he lasted just two years with the organization. After Pickett flamed out, they brought in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as starting options in 2024. Despite making the playoffs that year, the Steelers were not impressed enough to bring Wilson or Fields back for a second season. That led them to Rodgers, who will go down as a two-year starter for the franchise.
Rodgers will enter his final season fourth all-time in touchdown passes and fifth in both yards and completions. He is 13 TD tosses from 540, which would move him past Peyton Manning for third on the list. He will also have a chance to become just the sixth QB to ever start a game at age 43 or older (via James Palmer of Bleacher Report).
Aaron Rodgers Reports To Steelers’ OTAs; Latest On Contract Agreement
News broke over the weekend that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers had once again agreed to a one-year contract. The timing of the deal was not unexpected, since it allowed Pittsburgh’s returning QB1 to take part in spring practices.
To no surprise, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor notes Rodgers reported to the team facility on Monday morning. Uncertainty loomed after the draft with respect to a deal being finalized in this case, but Pittsburgh elected to keep the door open to a second straight season with Rodgers in the fold. In the wake of his return becoming official, further details on the negotiating process between team and player have emerged.
Aside from ongoing talks between Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy, communication was limited in this situation. Nevertheless, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports a “ballpark figure” on a new contract was agreed to at least one month ago. Rodgers took a deal containing $22MM guaranteed and a maximum of $25MM via incentives. Those figures represent a raise compared to 2025 but fall well short of the top of the quarterback market.
A bump in compensation was sought out during contract negotiations, Pryor’s colleague Jeremy Fowler reported during a SportsCenter appearance yesterday (h/t Bleacher Report). The UFA tender set a baseline of roughly $15MM for Rodgers to collect in 2026, but his performance during his debut Steelers campaign resulted in a raise relative to that figure. The approach of OTAs represented the latest artificial deadline for a deal to be struck, and Dulac adds the team would have begun to lose patience had Rodgers still not signed in time for today.
Concerns on that front remained relatively low, however. Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show reports there was never a formal handshake agreement between Rodgers and the Steelers, but he notes there was a general understanding a resolution would be found in time for spring practices. With the 42-year-old in place, the possibility of dividing first-teams reps among some combination of Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar has been eliminated. That was something Pittsburgh planned for as recently as Saturday morning, though, according to SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora.
News of the Rodgers-Steelers agreement emerged on Saturday night, setting up an official signing for today. The four-time MVP was long expected to face the option of a Pittsburgh deal or retirement, and La Canfora confirms limited interest existed around the rest of the NFL. Nonetheless, this long-running saga arrived at its expected conclusion in time for Rodgers to prepare for his 22nd season and first working with McCarthy since 2018.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/18/26
NFL teams are getting their rosters set for voluntary Organized Team Activities that will take place over the next month. Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Miles Davis, DT Tywone Malone
- Waived/injured: TE Bryce Pierre, RB Montrell Johnson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Marlon Jones Jr.
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Anderson Castle
- Waived: RB Jordon Vaughn
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on reserve/retired: WR Alex Bullock
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Tamon Lynum
Davis tried out at the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp but did not make the team. His workout in Carolina was more successful, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, and he will take Johnson’s place on the Panthers’ roster.
Jones was a first-team All-Big Sky selection for his standout 2023 season at Eastern Washington, which featured three pick-sixes. He transferred to Vanderbilt in 2024 but missed the season after being diagnosed with cancer. After recovering, Jones appeared in nine games for the Commodores in 2025, and he will now continue his remarkable story in Green Bay.
Steelers Sign Round 2 WR Germie Bernard
NFL teams are signing second-round draft picks at a much faster pace than last year. The latest is new Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard, who put pen to paper on Monday, per a team announcement.
Pittsburgh traded up six spots to draft Bernard with the 47th overall pick to ensure they would land a desired receiver prospect after narrowly missing out on USC’s Makai Lemon in the first round. They landed a versatile, all-around wideout with good size (6-foot-1, 206 pounds) and a solid athletic profile who should quickly carve out a role in Mike McCarthy‘s new offense.
Bernard started at Alabama for the last two years after a tertiary role at Washington in 2023, all under Kalen DeBoer. His production grew throughout his college career and peaked in his final season with team-highs of 64 receptions and 862 receiving yards, plus nine total touchdowns.
Though he lined up primarily on the outside in 2025, 46.5% of his snaps over the last three years have come out of the slot, which will help him earn playing time in a receiver room that already features boundary stalwarts D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman. The 22-year-old can also contribute as a blocker, gadget player, or returner – all roles he held at Alabama – giving the Steelers plenty of ways to deploy him on offense and special teams.
The Falcons signed No. 48 pick Avieon Terrell to a fully guaranteed contract, which should result in a similar deal for Bernard. He will receive $10.54MM over the next four years ($2.64MM AAV) with a signing bonus over $4MM, per OverTheCap.
The Steelers also signed seventh-round pick (No. 230 overall) Eli Heidenreich to his four-year rookie deal, worth a total of $4.54MM. His only guarantees will be a signing bonus in the range of $150k.
Heidenreich, classified as a running back/wide receiver in Pittsburgh’s announcement, was a dynamic part of Navy’s triple-option offense for the last three years. In 2025, his 941 receiving yards for 55.6% of the Midshipmen’s total passing offense; he also took 77 carries for 499 rushing yards (6.5 yards per attempt). Heidenreich tested extremely well at the Combine, but his unique college scheme and deployment raised questions about his ability to translate to the NFL. The Steelers took a shot on the 22-year-old, who, like Bernard, could factor in the return game or with manufactured touches on offense.
Steelers’ Troy Fautanu Working At LT
A host of teams to draft a tackle in the 2024 first round made immediate position switches from where that player lined up in college.
Joe Alt moved from left to right tackle, while JC Latham slid from the right side to the blind side in Tennessee. Taliese Fuaga shifted from RT at Oregon State to LT with the Saints (both he and Latham were back at RT by 2025). Jordan Morgan saw rookie-year time at guard in Green Bay (but has since moved back to LT post-Rasheed Walker). Graham Barton moved from tackle to center, while Tyler Guyton shuttled from RT to LT to open his Cowboys career. This slew of changes involving ’24 first-round blockers made Troy Fautanu‘s adjustment blend in rather than stand out.
[RELATED: Steelers Officially Re-Sign Aaron Rodgers, Authorizing Significant Raise]
Fautanu primarily played left tackle at Washington, being a starter as the Huskies rallied to the CFP championship game behind left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Steelers slotted Fautanu to the right side as a rookie, and while he missed most of that season due to injury, the team kept him at RT while Broderick Jones shifted to LT following Dan Moore Jr.‘s 2025 free agency defection. With Jones struggling and then running into a major injury issue, Fautanu may be headed back to the blind side.
The third-year blocker lined up at LT during Steelers OTAs Monday, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo. Fautanu said (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) the prospect of him moving to left tackle on a full-time basis remains “up in the air.” The Steelers are beginning first-round tackle Max Iheanachor at RT. This and Jones’ injury situation would open the door for a mid-contract Fautanu position shift. Fautanu earned All-American acclaim as a left tackle during his final Washington season.
The Steelers are optimistic Jones will be a training camp participant, but he is coming off neck surgery. A setback is believed to have occurred, clouding the fourth-year tackle’s outlook. The Steelers declined Jones’ $19.07MM fifth-year option, and their decision to draft Iheanachor — albeit after being prepared to take Makai Lemon at No. 21 before the Eagles’ seminal trade-up — could lead to the Georgia alum following Moore as a one-contract tackle in Pittsburgh. Two years remain on Fautanu’s rookie deal, and the Steelers can extend that pact through 2028 by exercising his fifth-year option. The team does not need to make that decision until May 2027.
Fautanu said he does not want to shift inside to guard, seemingly making a preemptive strike against a configuration that places Jones and Iheanachor at tackle, but added he believed he could do so if asked. Fautanu saw action in multiple Washington games at guard, but it does not appear the Steelers are interested in exploring that path. Mason McCormick and Spencer Anderson lined up as the team’s first-string guards at OTAs, per Fittipaldo, who adds McCormick switched from right guard to left guard.
McCormick became the Steelers’ James Daniels fill-in in 2024 and the team’s full-time RG starter last season. The former fourth-round pick, however, did see extensive left guard time at South Dakota State. The Steelers lost three-year LG Isaac Seumalo to the Cardinals, who signed him to a three-year, $31.5MM deal. Anderson, a former seventh-round draftee, has made 11 career starts; he mostly worked as Seumalo’s backup over the past two seasons while McCormick handled RG duties. The offseason switch adds some intrigue to Pittsburgh’s front, as Fittipaldo notes the only 2025 Steelers O-line starter who remained in the same spot was center Zach Frazier.
The Steelers added competition at guard by drafting Iowa’s Gennings Dunker in the third round. While Anderson took the first reps at RG Monday, Fittipaldo adds Dunker and FA signee Brock Hoffman will be expected to push him for the role. McCormick, Pro Football Focus’ No. 17 overall guard last season, appears assured of a starting spot in 2026.
Steelers, Aaron Rodgers Agree To Deal
MAY 18: The Rodgers pact is now official, per a team announcement. Rodgers will indeed collect up to $25MM in 2026. He took part in the first day of OTAs, and a first-team workload will be in store through the remainder of the offseason.
MAY 16: Speculation surrounding the second year of the Steelers-Aaron Rodgers partnership can be put to rest. A deal is indeed in place between team and player.
Rodgers has agreed to another one-year Pittsburgh contract, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Rodgers has long been expected to suit up for the 2026 season. He will do so and reunite with head coach Mike McCarthy in the process while delaying retirement once more.
This pact has a base value between $22MM and $23MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It can max out at $25MM via incentives. Pelissero notes $22MM is guaranteed. Last year, Rodgers collected $10MM guaranteed and over $14MM in total, so this new deal certainly marks a considerable raise.
McCarthy – who took over following Mike Tomlin‘s resignation – remained in constant communication with Rodgers in recent months. That helped fuel the belief a reunion between the two would be forthcoming, although no firm commitments were known to be made by the four-time MVP. In the end, the anticipated outcome has emerged. Pelissero adds, to no surprise, Rodgers is set to take part in the start of organized team activities on Monday.
OTAs represented the latest artificial deadline for an agreement in this case. The Steelers hoped to avoid a lengthy waiting period on the Rodgers front after one took place in 2025. As the draft came and went, uncertainty continued to loom with respect to Pittsburgh’s quarterback outlook. Drew Allar was added in the third round of the event, but he will spend the coming campaign as a developmental passer. Veteran Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard are also in the fold.
In the event a Rodgers agreement fell through, Rudolph and Howard were set to engage in a training camp competition with Pittsburgh not seeking an outside addition. The latest update on that front confirmed, however, that both passers were expected to occupy depth roles in 2026. Not long after receiving the rarely-used UFA tender, Rodgers is indeed in the mix. The future Hall of Famer was seen in Pittsburgh today with some members of the Steelers, and he will spend the coming months preparing for his 22nd NFL season.
A visit from earlier this month suggested an agreement was imminent, although it was only Rogers’ agent who spoke with the Steelers at that time. Finances were not seen as an issue regarding a second arrangement between the parties, something which has proven to be true. An otherwise low-cost Pittsburgh quarterback room will no doubt continue to face questions regarding the future as the 2026 season plays out, but there will be stability atop the depth chart.
Rodgers made 16 appearances during the year in 2025 and also played in Pittsburgh’s wild-card loss. His statistical output over that span fell short of his peak years but offered Pittsburgh with a high floor in QB play, especially relative to the team’s other post-Ben Roethlisberger passers. Expectations will need to be tempered as Rodgers approaches his age-42 campaign, but the Steelers have made several notable offseason additions on offense. Improved play with those new faces, and a revamped staff led by McCarthy, could see the Steelers end their drought (2016-present) for playoff victories.
A veteran-laden core remains in place on defense in particular for Pittsburgh. Rodgers will be expected to help the win-now group justify the commitment from owner Art Rooney II, general manager Omar Khan and Co. to contending in 2026 instead of resetting under center this spring. Questions will loom about the Steelers’ plans over medium- and long-term future at the quarterback position, but for at least one more season the status quo will be in place.
NFL Injury Updates: Jones, Bell, Ford-Wheaton
The Steelers recently used their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor after drafting two tackles in just the last three years in Georgia-product Broderick Jones and Washington-product Troy Fautanu. There was some belief that this could be a result of Jones undergoing neck surgery earlier in the offseason, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Pittsburgh is optimistic Jones will be ready for training camp.
Jones first three seasons in Pittsburgh haven’t gone swimmingly. After taking over a starting role midway through his rookie year, Jones has started 38 of a possible 51 games. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Jones hasn’t ranked any better than 62nd out of 81 players graded at his position in any of his three seasons. With Iheanachor coming in to compete for a role on the offensive line, Jones will want to make sure he’s ready to return by training camp in order to retain his starting spot.
The team has claimed Iheanachor will start his career at right tackle, opposite Jones’ usual position, but if Iheanachor is expected to start as a rookie, that means the usual right tackle, Fautanu will be looking for a new role. A former left tackle for the Huskies, Fautanu could be asked to return to that side of the line for the first time in his NFL career and compete with Jones.
Here are a couple other injury updates from around he NFL:
- New Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell was a projected first-round talent out of Louisville before suffering a torn ACL in his final collegiate season. Days before the draft, NFL insider Jordan Schultz claimed that Bell was reportedly “ahead of schedule in his ACL recovery and expected to be ready by training camp.” Per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, though, Bell is likely to “open training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.” Even if Bell’s rookie debut gets delayed in recovery, it sounds like he stands a descent chance of returning to play fairly early into the year.
- Lastly, Schultz reports that free agent wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton has recently been cleared following recovery from his torn Achilles tendon. The former Giants reserve has been valued on special teams as a gunner and will start working out with new teams soon.