At long last, it seems to be all systems go for Aaron Rodgers to suit up for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After months of suspense surrounding his return to the team (the gridiron, really), the Steelers are hopeful about seeing the QB join the upcoming OTAs. This way, Rodgers will finally get to bow out of the NFL with a good team. And he’s also getting a sweet price for this much-hyped last dance.

The Steelers had already placed a right of first refusal tender on Rodgers. That gave him the opportunity to see his 2025 salary ($13.6 million) hiked by 10%. But according to Sports Illustrated’s Nick Strackbein, Rodgers’ paycheck could also reach as high $20 million. It’s a notable increase from the expected rise of $15 million because of the tender. But Strackebein says nothing is set in stone as of now, but a deal could happen before this weekend. The OTAs are going to begin on May 18.

Strackbein also reported that the salary bump, which many thought was the main reason why Rodgers was not signing his contract, was not the main concern for the team. Pittsburgh has enough cap space to “reward their quarterback for being here for another year.” The delay was mostly about Rodgers making up his mind about returning to football and ensuring things outside of football are well-balanced.

With a potential base salary of $15 million, Rodgers would take up only 4.99% of the salary cap. And that’s pretty team-friendly for a starting quarterback. 

Rodgers did defy the age norms with his 2025 performance. But Pittsburgh could have used a better output from him. Rodgers completed only 65.7% of his passes, averaging only 6.7 yards per attempt. He was also intercepted seven times and sacked 29 times. Yet, he pushed the team to the postseason despite a 6-30 loss. That is a big reason why the Steelers have been keen on keeping Rodgers for the 2026 season.

Even the new head coach, Mike McCarthy, wants him back with the Steelers. He said. “I have spoken to Aaron, and so that’s really where we are there. I was able to sit back and watch the games. I watched most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team.”

Unlike his debut with the Steelers last year, Aaron Rodgers will arrive at a camp that is very different now. Backups Kyler Murray and Malik Willis have already moved to different teams. And, the QB will have a new weapon in wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. The offensive system will be new under McCarthy, and it should help Rodgers out because he’s worked with him at the Green Bay Packers. 

But even if the veteran was not coming back to the Steelers, McCarthy’s chances of succeeding at Pittsburgh weren’t going to take a hit.

What does Aaron Rodgers’ uncertainty mean for Mike McCarthy?

McCarthy and Rodgers have worked with each other for 13 years. Pittsburgh probably hired McCarthy, keeping this in mind, and that they don’t have a lot of time with the QB. But Rodger still hadn’t given them a definitive ‘yes,’ which might have been very frustrating for the Steelers. They had hinted at the Combine and before the draft that they’d have an answer, but no such development happened. But according to insider Ray Fittipaldo, McCarthy wasn’t bothered by this very much.

During his appearance on 93.7 The Fan, he said, “I think you could probably just pick out anyone in the front office. I’ll tell you the person who I don’t think is annoyed. I don’t think Mike McCarthy is moved by this at all. Mike McCarthy has dealt with this for a long time.”

“If Aaron Rodgers isn’t there on May 18, guess what? Will Howard and Drew Allar are gonna get a ton of reps in those voluntary workouts,” Fittipaldo continued. “Mike McCarthy is sitting back, he’s looking at this like, ‘Okay, my young QBs get a lot of reps and my vet, my guy’s gonna come when the time is right, and we’ll be good.'”

The young QB duo of Howard and Allar is also a big factor in Rodgers’ return. Howard has yet to play a game in the NFL, having missed the entirety of his rookie season due to an injury last year. Allar was only drafted this season, with a clear plan of him being a developmental option. With Rodgers taking the lead this season, the two can work at a smoother transition after he leaves. Which will most definitely occur after this season.

Mike McCarthy’s priority right now is ensuring stability in a team that has the potential to go the extra mile. Having Aaron Rodgers on board will definitely make his life easy, and the Steelers are also setting a positive example by honoring the legend with a better salary.