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<\/p>\nAn Aaron Rodgers offseason that started as rather dull has become much more drama-filled in recent days. Pundits for weeks suggested the quarterback was likely to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026 only to see CBS Sports\u2019 Aditi Kinkhabwala throw cold water on those suggestions.<\/p>\n
However, NFL Network\u2019s Tom Pelissero had a new Rodgers update this weekend much closer to the original reports this offseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe odds, as I said on Super Bowl Sunday, they are rising that Aaron Rodgers comes back,\u201d Pelissero told Rich Eisen, via Steelers Depot. \u201cI don\u2019t see it being any place else.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Steelers Get Bad Aaron Rodgers News Ahead of NFL Free Agency<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIf he\u2019s going to play, I believe it will be for the Pittsburgh Steelers.\u201d<\/p>\n Will Aaron Rodgers Play in 2026?<\/p>\n To Pelissero\u2019s credit, he\u2019s been pretty consistent about the likelihood Rodgers returns in 2026 to play for the Steelers. Other insiders such as Mark Kaboly have been as well.<\/p>\n On February 13, Kaboly even offered a timeline on when Rodgers could agree to his next contract.<\/p>\n \u201cI fully expect Rodgers to sign with the Steelers within the next month,\u201d wrote Kaboly.<\/p>\n Nothing, though, is official with Rodgers until he signs the dotted line. Kinkhabwala cast significant doubt to that potentially happening when she made an appearance on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday.<\/p>\n On the radio, Kinkhabwala called the chances Rodgers returns as \u201cminuscule.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn conversations with people who were around him all year who were with him when he was leaving the Steelers when the season was over, all of those people that I spoke to said that it seems far more likely that he is done than that he is going to return,\u201d said Kinkhabwala.<\/p>\n Last year, Rodgers didn\u2019t sign until June 5. So, even though Kaboly indicated otherwise, it really wouldn\u2019t be shocking if it took awhile for the quarterback to make his 2026 decision.<\/p>\n When former head coach Mike Tomlin resigned during the first week of the offseason, it appeared Rodgers wouldn\u2019t have an opportunity to come back to Pittsburgh. But in Mike McCarthy, the Steelers hired Rodgers\u2019s former Green Bay Packers head coach.<\/p>\n McCarthy has left the door open to a Rodgers return. Other than Kinkhabwala, insiders have suggested it\u2019s likely to happen.<\/p>\n Steelers QB Plan for 2026<\/p>\n Steelers Nation can feel better about a potential Rodgers return after Pelissero\u2019s update. Pelissero is plugged in as much as anybody, and again, he hasn\u2019t changed his tune this offseason about Rodgers\u2019s immediate future.<\/p>\n But while on one hand it\u2019s a good thing Pelissero hasn\u2019t changed his tune, there also isn\u2019t really anything new on the Rodgers front for the Steelers.<\/p>\n Whether or not the quarterback is expected to return depends on who one asks.<\/p>\n Rodgers completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season \u2014 his first with the Steelers. He led the team to a 10-6 record during the regular season.<\/p>\n In the playoffs, though, the Houston Texans defense badly outmatched Rodgers and the Steelers offense. Rodgers completed 17 of 33 passes for 146 touchdowns with an interception.<\/p>\n Rodgers will turn 43 years old toward the end of the 2026 regular season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" An Aaron Rodgers offseason that started as rather dull has become much more drama-filled in recent days. Pundits for weeks suggested the quarterback was likely to return… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":157484,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-157471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n