Aaron Rodgers Likely Has A Certain Goal In Mind For A Potential New Contract With The Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some dysfunction at the quarterback position over the last few seasons, and that is evident just from looking at the quarterbacks that have started games for the franchise. The Steelers have had a different Week 1 starter in five consecutive seasons, but that streak could come to an end if Aaron Rodgers does decide to continue his playing career with the Steelers. The veteran is still deciding on what he wants to do, but all signs seem to point towards him returning to Pittsburgh. The Steelers have added some crucial pieces to the offense, and all the franchise needs is a quarterback.

It seemed like a guarantee that Rodgers would only be spending one season in Pittsburgh when he initially signed his contract during the 2025 offseason. It felt like it was one last go-round for the four-time league MVP, and that he would retire after the 2025 season. That can still happen, but the possibility of him returning to the Steelers seems high. Fans have grown tired of waiting for a decision from the quarterback for the second offseason in a row, and there has been a ton of speculation on what the holdup could be. 

There have been theories that the delay is on the financial side, but beat writer Mark Kaboly has been adamant that is not the case. He appeared on 93.7 The Fan on Monday, and he shared that the quarterback may want a raise, but not to the degree that some people are saying.

"For Rodgers, everything I've been told, or have heard, is that the money is not an issue," Kaboly said. "It's not even really been brought up very much, at all. Sure, he's going to want a raise. I mean of course he's going to want a raise. At least get more money than, you know, Kirk Cousins. But that $30 million is kind of crazy. It's going to happen, it's just a matter of when."

The number of $30 million for Rodgers comes from former Pittsburgh quarterback Charlie Batch. He originally hypothesized that the reason a contract has not been signed yet is because of the money, and he stated that Rodgers is going to want something in the $30 million range. This had fans up in arms, but nearly every beat writer and national reporter has denied this notion.

Kaboly's point is that Rodgers is going to want a raise from what he was making during the 2025 season. That contract was for one-year and it was worth a total value of $13.65 million. There were also incentives in the contract that had to do with the team making the postseason and winning playoff games, so Rodgers only gained an additional $500,000 from incentives. 

Kirk Cousins just signed a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, and there is a ton of bells and whistles within this contract. Essentially, it is a one-year deal worth $20 million guaranteed, although both the Raiders and the Atlanta Falcons are paying part of that salary. Kaboly insinuated that Rodgers might want to beat that $20 million number, which would be completely fair. The Steelers have the cap space to make that happen, and the team can also create more with restructures and things of that nature.

Steelers Have No Leverage Against Aaron Rodgers

The Steelers know that Rodgers is the best option when it comes to a quarterback for the 2026 season, which leaves the franchise without much leverage. The organization kind of just has to pay the veteran whatever he wants, unless the team is fine with starting Will Howard or some rookie for a season. That could be good for the team in the long run, but the decision-makers in Pittsburgh still believe this team has a chance to win now.

What do you think about Kaboly's thoughts on a contract for Rodgers? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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