Bolts, Derwin James Agree To Extension
MAY 27: Of James’ $57.5MM guarantee, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes $44MM is guaranteed at signing. That covers the deal’s first two years. James received early protection on 2028, however, with Florio adding $13.5MM of James’ $24.6MM salary is guaranteed for injury at signing. That will shift to a full guarantee in March 2027.
The early guarantee date virtually ensures James will remain with the Chargers through at least the 2028 season. His 2029 salary ($21.5MM) is nonguaranteed, but a 90-man roster bonus of $3MM will be due that year.
MAY 26: Derwin James has once again reset the safeties market. The Chargers star defender has agreed to an extension that will make him the highest-paid player at his position, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
James is getting a three-year, $75.6MM deal, per Rapoport. The contract includes $57.5MM in guaranteed money, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton set the positional market last offseason when he inked a deal worth $25.1MM per season. James just topped that mark, with his new deal coming in at a $25.2MM AAV. James was set to enter the final season of the four-year, $76.5MM extension he signed with the Chargers back in 2022, and he was scheduled to earn $17.5MM for 2026 with a cap hit of $24.61MM. That previous contract once made James the highest-paid safety in NFL history. The veteran has once again set a new benchmark at the position.
The 17th-overall pick in the 2018 draft, James has emerged as one of the best defenders in Chargers history. He’s earned five All-Pro nods through his first eight seasons. That includes a 2025 campaign where he earned a second-team spot after finishing with 94 tackles, two sacks, seven passes defended, and three interceptions. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked James ninth among 91 qualifying safeties.
We heard just yesterday that the Chargers were prioritizing an extension for their defensive cornerstone, with general manager Joe Hortiz making it clear that they wanted James in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. The 29-year-old also drew praise from his head coach, with Jim Harbaugh describing James as “the best safety I’ve ever seen in the history of the National Football League” (per Schefter).
The extension for Jim Harbaugh’s top DB comes several months after John Harbaugh‘s then-charge (Kyle Hamilton) raised the bar for the safety market. The Ravens gave Hamilton a four-year, $100.4MM extension in August. Prior to that point, no safety had ever seen an AAV north of $21.5MM. Hamilton’s windfall set the table for James, who will benefit from the latest NFL cap spike. Hortiz was in the Ravens’ front office when Hamilton was drafted, making it not especially surprising to see his new team prioritize the safety position to this degree.
James’ deal towers over the rest of the Bolts’ secondary contracts. No other Charger DB is tied to a contract worth $7MM per year, with its longtime anchor now tied to an accord worth more than quadruple per annum than any of his secondary mates. The Chargers also carried more than $43MM in cap space entering Tuesday, opening a window for James’ second extension.
James is now several years removed from his injury issues, having played 16 games in each of the past three seasons. The Chargers will bet on the Florida State alum, whose standout play certainly boosted now-Ravens HC Jesse Minter‘s stock over the past two years, going into his 30s.
With James now locked in for the next few seasons, the Chargers can turn their attention to other extension-eligible players. That includes edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, who Hortiz also mentioned as a candidate for a new deal.
Packers RB Josh Jacobs Arrested
MAY 27: Jacobs will be released from jail on Wednesday, Schneidman reports. No formal charges have been filed yet, but that could change. In its official statement, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office announced: “After reviewing the available evidence in this case, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office is not yet prepared to make a formal charging decision. Our office has requested additional investigation, as there is reason to believe that additional evidence may exist that would impact whether criminal charges are appropriate, and what charges would be issued.”
MAY 26: Packers running back Josh Jacobs was arrested today and booked on five charges, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
The charges include battery/domestic abuse, criminal damage to property/domestic abuse, disorderly conduct/domestic abuse, strangulation and suffocation, and intimidation of a victim. The strangulation charge is a felony, with the other four charges being misdemeanors. Jacobs has denied the allegations.
According to the release from the Hobart/Lawrence, Wisconsin police department (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), the arrest stems from a “disturbance complaint” involving Jacobs that took place on Saturday. Jacobs turned himself in today.
“Josh vehemently denies the allegations, and this matter is in the early stages of investigation with important evidence that has not yet been made public,” the player’s attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement (via Rapoport). “We ask for fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course.”
The Packers also released a statement (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero):
“We are aware of the matter involving Josh Jacobs. As it is an ongoing legal situation, we will withhold further comment.”
The NFL released a similar statement (via Pelissero):
“We are aware of the report and have been in contact with the club.”
Following a five-year stint with the Raiders to begin his career, Jacobs inked a four-year, $48MM contract with the Packers ahead of the 2024 season. Through his first two years in Green Bay, the veteran has compiled 2,882 yards from scrimmage and 30 total touchdowns.
From a football standpoint, Jacobs will be subject to the league’s personal conduct policy. After losing Emanuel Wilson in free agency, the team’s depth behind their RB1 currently consists of Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong, Damien Martinez, and UDFA Jaden Nixon.
Texans, WR Nico Collins Agree On Reworked Deal
The Texans shot down Nico Collins trade rumors during the draft, and they are now taking care of their top wide receiver. Collins and the team agreed on a reworked deal Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Collins will receive raises in 2026 and ’27 as a part of this agreement, per Schefter, who notes the sixth-year veteran will see a $9MM cash influx in 2026 and an $8MM bump in 2027. Both Collins’ 2026 and ’27 salaries are now guaranteed.
[RELATED: Texans Give Azeez Al-Shaiir Top-Five ILB Deal]
Houston’s May 2024 extension agreement with Collins has aged extraordinarily well. He is tied to a three-year, $72.75MM deal. Even at the time, that contract looked team-friendly, as A.J. Brown had moved the receiver market to $32MM per year weeks earlier. Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and now Jaxon Smith-Njigba have taken the market onto new tiers since the Collins contract was finalized. The Texans’ top skill-position talent, in terms of AAV, had been tied to a salary nearly $20MM south of Smith-Njigba’s market-setting pact ($42.15MM per year).
No new years are being added to Collins’ deal, but the raises here are substantial — as are the guarantee bumps. Collins was due $20MM in guaranteed compensation this year but had no guarantees in place for 2027. Collins was tied to a nonguaranteed $21.25MM salary next year. That number will rise considerably, and it continues a pattern of Texans proactivity on the contract front.
Texans GM Nick Caserio gave Derek Stingley Jr. a market-resetting extension in March 2025 and did the same for Will Anderson Jr. this offseason. The team also has shown a willingness to guarantee cornerstone players’ money in future years. The Texans have extended Danielle Hunter twice on one-year bumps and reupped Dalton Schultz for an additional year in March. Collins will loom as a 2027 extension candidate in Houston, but Caserio has again rewarded a productive player with a significant guarantee increase.
The pay hikes agreed to Tuesday will move Collins near $30MM in compensation this year and next. That still puts him outside of the top five at his position, with the NFL’s $30MM-AAV receiver club now consisting of nine players (though, a 49ers Brandon Aiyuk release would trim it to eight). Collins is entering an age-27 season and is coming off three straight 1,000-yard campaigns. Although C.J. Stroud has not made big strides since his rookie-year breakthrough, the Texans have found a gem in Collins — a 2021 third-round pick.
Collins finished with 1,117 receiving yards in 2025 and cleared 1,000 yards (1,006) in just 12 games in 2024. The Michigan product broke out in 2023, tallying 1,297 yards after previously failing to eclipse 500 in each of his first two seasons.
The Texans added Stefon Diggs via trade in 2024 but saw him suffer an ACL tear midway through his only season with the team. Tank Dell missed all of last season because of a severe knee injury sustained late in the 2024 slate. The Texans have since made moves to complement Collins with young players, adding Iowa State’s Jayden HIggins and Jaylin Noel on Day 2 of last year’s draft.
Dell is tracking to return this season, which will give the Texans interesting depth around Collins and the ex-Cyclones. But the team’s top playmaker is not in question entering 2026. Collins wants to stay with the Texans long term, and the team certainly showed appreciation for his work today. It is notable no extension has been reached, but the raise looks to settle this matter for 2026.
Rams, Matthew Stafford Agree To Extension
The Rams have officially committed to Matthew Stafford through at least the 2027 campaign. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the two sides have agreed to a one-year, $55MM extension. The deal could reach $60MM with incentives. The Rams have officially announced the deal.
After reworking the QB’s contract in both 2024 and 2025, there was one year remaining on the reigning MVP’s pact. With today’s extension, Stafford will now be attached to a two-year deal worth up to $105MM. The true $50MM average annual value would only rank 11th at his position, but a $55MM AAV would be tied for second behind Dak Prescott‘s record-breaking $60MM in annual earnings.
We heard last month that the Rams were progressing on a deal with Stafford. However, the team later stunned the NFL world when they used their 13th-overall selection in the draft on QB Ty Simpson. While the team is counting on the Alabama star to eventually guide their offense, Rams leadership also made it clear that the selection wasn’t an indictment on Stafford nor his standing on the team. Today’s agreement all but assures that Simpson will now warm the bench for at least his first two professional seasons.
The Rams have had to navigate a handful of contractual issues with Stafford. A year after acquiring the former first-overall pick from the Lions, the Rams signed the QB to a four-year, $160MM extension. As the veteran fell down the AAV leaderboard, he came to the table with restructuring requests in 2024 and 2025.
That latter negotiation led to the Rams letting Stafford speak with other teams about a potential trade. While the Giants and Raiders lined up guarantee packages covering north of $90MM, Stafford ultimately stuck with the Rams, agreeing to a revised two-year, $80MM deal that included a $40MM guarantee at signing. Another $40MM guarantee vested on Day 5 of the current league year. A $24MM 2026 option bonus was also split into four parts.
Stafford won MVP following an age-37 season that saw him pace the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46). The veteran has seen a career renaissance while playing under Sean McVay in Los Angeles. After going 74-90-1 in 12 seasons with the Lions, Stafford has gone 46-28 through his first five years with the Rams. The QB has also added 10 playoff appearances to his resume, including four during his team’s 2021 run to a Super Bowl championship.
The team’s pursuit of another championship has fallen short in recent years. However, the organization can rest easy knowing that the McVay/Stafford tandem will remain in place for at least the next few seasons.
Giants, GM Joe Schoen Agree To Multiyear Extension
Once believed to be on the hot seat, Joe Schoen is now sticking in New York for the foreseeable future. The Giants have agreed to a multiyear extension with their general manager, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. The team has since announced the move.
Following last season’s ouster of Brian Daboll, it became apparent that Schoen had a relatively short leash in his role. The organization’s offseason additions only seemed to reinforce that notion. First, the team landed John Harbaugh to be their next head coach. While Schoen was notably involved in that search, the new head coach insisted on reporting to ownership instead of the GM. Before the higher-ups ultimately greenlit that arrangement, it was rumored that Schoen represented an impediment to that potential change.
Later in the offseason, we heard the Giants’ Dawn Aponte hire (as senior VP of football operations and strategy) stripped power from Schoen. That report hinted that Schoen had essentially been “relegated to handling scouting” while the “rest of the building reports to Dawn.” Since franchise’s tend to prefer some continuity before the draft, there were even whispers that Schoen could be a post-draft casualty.
At the same time, a report during the Giants’ Harbaugh pursuit indicated the coach’s likely willingness to work with the GM. After navigating both free agency and the draft, it sounds like leadership (including the new HC) was satisfied with their current hierarchy, leading to today’s unexpected extension.
Schoen has spent more than two decades in NFL front offices, including initial stops with the Panthers and Dolphins. During that latter stint in Miami, the executive worked his way up to director of player personnel, and he parlayed that gig into the assistant general manager role in Buffalo under Brandon Beane.
The Giants hired Schoen to lead their front office in 2022, and the GM quickly recruited Daboll to join him in New York. The organization saw some immediate success under the new regime, as the team won their first playoff game since their Super Bowl-winning run in 2011. However, that success didn’t last. Following a nine-win showing in 2022, the Giants dropped to six wins in 2023 before bottoming out with three wins in 2024 and four wins in 2025.
While Schoen has had some hits in the draft, he’s also earned his fair share of criticism. His willingness to let Saquon Barkley and fellow first-team All-Pro Xavier McKinney walk in free agency left both fans and players (including Dexter Lawrence) disillusioned with the franchise’s direction. Schoen also spearheaded the regrettable Daniel Jones extension, a deal the Giants will continue paying in 2026.
Harbaugh undoubtedly has the final say from a roster-building perspective, and the coach could have easily pushed for a change to the front office hierarchy. Despite Schoen’s warts, today’s extension indicates a vote of confidence from both ownership and (perhaps most importantly) Harbaugh.
Lions Extend LB Jack Campbell
11:20pm: Campbell and the Lions agreed to a four-year deal worth $81MM, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal includes $51.5MM in guaranteed money.
With the deal coming in at a $20.25MM average annual value, Campbell will slide right behind Warner ($21MM) and right ahead of Smith ($20MM) on the list of the highest AAVs among linebackers.
12:55pm: Extension talks between the Lions and Jack Campbell have produced an agreement. The All-Pro linebacker announced on Thursday that he has signed a new deal with Detroit.
The Lions recently declined Campbell’s fifth-year option, but an extension remained the team’s goal in this case. The Lions have since confirmed today’s news of a long-term pact being finalized. Campbell will remain on the books through 2030 as a result of this deal.
This marks the first Lions action with regards to one of their impact 2023 draftees. The team came away with Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch in the first two rounds of the ’23 draft. The team exercised Gibbs’ fifth-year option, buying more time on that front, but off-ball linebacker options are annually declined. Detroit followed suit, but this move differentiates the Lions, as several teams have lost first-round ILBs in free agency after declining an option.
Since the Buccaneers exercised Devin White‘s option in 2022, no team has picked up a non-rush linebacker’s. This has led to subsequent free agency defections from Patrick Queen, Jordyn Brooks, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd over the past three offseasons. Lloyd and Walker respectively left Jacksonville and Green Bay in March. The Lions’ proactivity with Campbell — whose option, thanks to the NFL grouping rush and non-rush ‘backers together in the option formula, checked in at $21.93MM — will bring a course change at this position and ensure a 2025 All-Pro talent remains in place with the team that selected him.
Detroit drew criticism coming out of the 2023 first round, as both picks went to players at non-premium positions. But Gibbs has become one of the NFL’s most electric running backs; Campbell made 2025 a breakout season. The Iowa product, chosen 18th overall in 2023, zoomed to first-team All-Pro acclaim after finishing the season with 176 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and nine tackles for loss. Campbell is the first player to record 160-plus tackles and five-plus sacks in a season in more than 20 years.
He became the first Lions linebacker to claim first-team All-Pro honors since Chris Spielman‘s 1991 season. Because of Campbell’s original-ballot Pro Bowl nod, his option number increased to nearly $22MM.
Campbell, 25, has never missed a game as a pro. This ironman run proved tremendously beneficial for the Lions in 2024, when their 15-2 squad lost several defenders — including linebackers Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez — to major injuries. The Lions re-signed Barnes to a three-year, $24MM deal in 2025 but let Anzalone play out his contract. The longtime starter joined the Bucs in free agency. Rodriguez re-signed with the Lions (one year, $2.75MM) in March.
Although the Lions could not negotiate with Campbell on a new deal until January, a re-up has been on the team’s radar for a while. We heard in November a likelihood the team would act here, and steady buzz has built in the months since. GM Brad Holmes called Campbell, Gibbs, LaPorta and Branch priorities in January, and the team has now taken care of one key contractual matter. It would surprise if a Gibbs payday does not follow suit, potentially leaving the Lions with a LaPorta-or-Branch decision. Holmes, however, has done well to extend core players drafted during his tenure.
This Campbell extension follows the deals given to Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph, Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson. With Jared Goff also extended, the top of the Lions’ payroll is becoming a bit crowded. Considering the struggles the franchise endured in the period prior to Holmes’ arrival, this represents a good problem to have.
The NFL only features two off-ball linebackers on $20MM-per-year deals — All-Pros Fred Warner and Roquan Smith — while Azeez Al-Shaair ($18MM AAV) and Zack Baun ($17MM) are the only ILBs north of $15MM per annum. This is a good time to pay an inside ‘backer, with the market stagnating during the 2020s. Al-Shaair’s extension earlier this year could certainly be relevant for Campbell, and it would surprise if the ascending player did not join this group as a top-five salary player at the position.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Dolphins Extend RB De’Von Achane
MAY 21: For full guarantees, Achane’s contract comes in well south of the previously reported $32MM number. It contains $17.38MM guaranteed at signing, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. That ranks 13th among running backs. Another $3MM — from Achane’s 2028 salary ($14.23MM) — will vest in March 2027. That $3MM number is part of a $10MM 2028 guarantee; the remaining $7MM will lock in by March 2028, Florio adds.
Achane’s 2026 and ’27 compensation is guaranteed at signing. His 2029 and 2030 base salaries ($14.23MM, $15.72MM) are nonguaranteed, giving the Dolphins a realistic out after the 2027 season. Though, Achane’s camp did well to secure the early guarantee on part of his 2028 salary.
MAY 13: After months of discussions and trade rumors, the Dolphins have closed the deal to extend running back De’Von Achane. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Miami rusher has agreed to a four-year, extension worth up to $68MM with $32MM in guaranteed money.
[RELATED: The Richest RB Contract In Every Team’s History]
Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN clarified that Achane’s new deal has a base value of $64MM with bonuses worth up to $4MM. His annual average value ($16MM per year) and guarantee total are both all-time highs for running backs coming off their rookie deal. Achane is now set to enter the 2026 season with the position’s third-highest AAV, behind only Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey, and fourth-most guarantees, behind Barkley and recent top draft picks Ashton Jeanty and Jeremiyah Love.
Achane came to the NFL after three years at Texas A&M. Despite sitting second on the depth chart behind Isaiah Spiller for two years in College Station, Achane broke out in his sophomore season as RB2. After averaging 8.5 yards per carry as a true freshman in limited time, Achane continued that outrageous efficiency with more touches, averaging seven yards per carry en route to a 910-yard, nine-touchdown season. Unfortunately, Achane’s lone season leading the backfield for the Aggies was the 12th Man’s only losing season since 2009, but he continued to produce with 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns rushing.
In a loaded draft class for running backs, Achane received high grades, but his short, stout frame caused him to slip far behind the first-round ranks of Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. After getting selected in the third round by Miami, Achane joined a backfield that had struggled through the 2022 season led by Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Chase Edmonds, Salvon Ahmed, and Myles Gaskin. With Achane spelling him, Mostert excelled in a starting role, rushing for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and leading the league in rushing touchdowns with 18.
Used to coming off the bench with efficiency, Achane was not slowed down by the transition to the NFL. After receiving one carry in the team’s first two contests, he exploded onto to the scene with rushing lines of 18 carries-203 yards-2 touchdowns, 8-101-2, and 11-151-1 in his next three games before landing on injured reserve with a knee injury. Despite the time missed due to injury, Achane finished the year with 800 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 7.8 yards per carry.
Achane took lead back duties from Mostert the following year, but a far less effective all-around unit resulted in Achane finishing with just 907 yards and six touchdowns rushing, though he added a new element to his game with 78 catches for 592 yards and six more scores. Last year, Achane bounced back much closer to the expectations that followed his explosive start in 2023. Starting all 16 games for Miami, he totaled 1,350 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, adding 488 yards and four touchdowns receiving.
Unfortunately for Achane, as he’s gotten healthier and returned to form, the Dolphins have backslid into what looks now to be a rebuild. Former starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was released, shouldering Miami with record-setting dead money, star wide receiver Tyreek Hill was released, and WR2 Jaylen Waddle has been traded away. While the Dolphins were okay parting ways with those key assets, it seemed Achane was where they drew the line.
As the team’s 2025 campaign finally began to come to a close, Achane made it known that he intended to stay in Miami, telling reporters he was seeking an extension. As a lack of team success spurred several teams to inquire about potential assets the Dolphins might be willing to move, the team made it clear that Achane was not available. The 24-year-old was absent from voluntary team activities once April came, but extension talks were well underway by then and really starting to gain traction. He’s landed his new deal now and become a key building block for the franchise.
To ease the financial pains of the transactions that removed Tagovailoa, Hill, and Waddle, Achane and center Aaron Brewer agreed to restructured deals. Well, according to Louis-Jacques, Brewer is believed to be one of two other players expected to follow Achane’s lead to a new extension. The other player Louis-Jacques beileves could land a new deal soon is veteran linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
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).
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Ordered To Serve 30 Days In Jail For Violating Probation
Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is once again in legal trouble. Rice violated his probation after testing positive for THC, Matt Foster of KSHB 41 News reports. He has been ordered to serve 30 days in jail.
Rice is on probation for five years as a result of a 2024 hit-and-run crash that led to eight felony charges. After pleading guilty to felony collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury, Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay $115K to the injured victims.
[RELATED: Rice Facing Multi-Month Rehab After Knee Surgery]
Rice’s jail sentence is the same one he was originally ordered to serve, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Had he not violated probation, Rice would have been able to choose when to serve his time over the next five years, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports relays. He will now have to go through with it immediately, which will prevent him from participating in the Chiefs’ upcoming OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
The NFL suspended Rice for the first six games of last season as a result of his street-racing crash. However, it is unlikely this violation will lead to another ban, according to Jones, who notes the league does not suspend players for positive marijuana tests. It is nonetheless another unwelcome off-field development for Rice, who was accused of domestic violence in a civil lawsuit filed in February. Dacoda Jones, Rice’s ex-girlfriend, claimed he repeatedly assaulted her from December 2023 to July 2025. He was not charged with a crime, and the league chose not to suspend him after reviewing the matter.
On the field, Rice is entering the pivotal final season of the four-year rookie contract he signed in 2023. During the pre-draft process, NFL teams became aware of an alleged incident in which Rice or a member of his party fired multiple shots into an empty car belonging to a member of SMU’s basketball team. The Chiefs nonetheless selected Rice in the second round (No. 55 overall), a move that has paid dividends when he has taken the field. Rice was a standout during a 16-game rookie year in which he caught 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He added another 26 receptions in a four-game playoff run, including six in a Super Bowl LVIII win over the 49ers.
Thanks to a Week 4 LCL tear in 2024, last year’s suspension and a concussion, Rice played a mere 12 games over the previous two seasons. Despite suiting up just eight times in 2025, the 26-year-old piled up 53 catches, 571 yards and five scores. Barring punishment from the league, the Chiefs will count on Rice to continue serving as a key weapon when the upcoming season starts. Rice will be the top receiver in a corps that also includes Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals and fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen.
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.