The Aaron Rodgers story has a new wrinkle.
Pittsburgh placed an unrestricted tender on Rodgers, a seldom-used priority right that gives him the opportunity to accept a 10 percent raise (amounting to roughly $15 million) of his 2025 salary with the Steelers in 2026, according to ESPN.
The tender also gives the Steelers free agent compensation in the form of a 2027 pick if the veteran quarterback chooses to sign elsewhere and they don’t match the offer. If Rodgers does not sign with a team by July 22 (or the first scheduled day of practice), the Steelers will have exclusive rights to the quarterback.
In short, Pittsburgh’s decision to place such a tender on Rodgers minimizes the risk of negotiations by establishing a salary cap with a slight increase, while also giving the club some security if Rodgers decides he wants to explore playing elsewhere in 2026. At this point in the offseason, the consensus expectation is that Rodgers will make big strides with the event. in front of the last month.