ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Steelers “placed the rare right-of-first-refusal tender” on QB Aaron Rodgers.

28 April 2026

It could be a sign that the Steelers want an answer about whether Rodgers will play in 2026 sooner rather than later. The mercurial veteran once again let the NFL Draft come and go without commitment to another NFL season, and the Steelers used a third round pick on Penn State QB Drew Allar. Allar could be an insurance policy in case Rodgers retires in the coming months. The right-of-first-refusal tender will force Rodgers, 42, to “accept a 10 percent raise off last year’s salary, which would pay him about $15 million this season, and the Steeelrs also now will have the right to match any offer sheet he would sign with another team,” according to Schefter. “As another condition of the tender, Rodgers would only be able to sign with the Steelers once training camp begins.” Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that he expects Rodgers to return to Pittsburgh for another season under center, this time in the offense of his former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.