There's Probably A 'Sticking Point' For Aaron Rodgers, Steelers

Reports have emerged that Aaron Rodgers will be leaving the darkness and visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, with an expectation that he'll be back for 2026. But amid the seemingly ending standoff between the two sides, there appears to be a potential sticking point to getting a deal done.

To put it simply, money is the issue. It was NFL insider Ian Rapoport who first reported that the controversy unrestricted free agent (UFA) tender that the Steelers placed on Rodgers several weeks ago was just a placeholder for the true deal that seems to be coming. Rapoport speculated that Rodgers is unlikely to play for the low cost of $15 million, which is why he is most likely going to work out a deal with the team first.

"While the #Steelers gave Rodgers the UFA tender, that's considered a place holder. Hard to imagine he plays for $15M, which is why a deal must be worked out and finalized. But finality is coming soon, sources say," Rapoport wrote.

A narrow gap or a chasm?

ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio took the "sticking point" a little bit further by pointing out that Rodgers probably wouldn't be flying to Pittsburgh at all if he didn't think the differences between their proposals was small.

"To the extent a gap currently exists, Rodgers wouldn't be flying back to Pittsburgh if he didn't think it is something that can be bridged fairly easily," Florio wrote on Thursday.

But Florio also acknowledged that the Steelers were reportedly not even aware at first that Rodgers was planning to meet them in person.

"There's another wrinkle in all of this. Mark Kaboly, the Steelers correspondent for The Pat McAfee Show, reports that the Steelers were not aware that Rodgers will be coming to town. The truth could be that Rodgers has decided that it's time to get in a room and hammer out whatever differences may remain as to the financial investment the Steelers are willing to make."

Nevertheless, it looks like all of the signs are pointing towards Rodgers playing for the Steelers and his former longtime head coach Mike McCarthy in 2026. The only real question now is how much they'll be paying him to do so.

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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 11:06 AM.