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Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers warms up against the Indianapolis Colts before the game at Acrisure Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to come to terms on a contract with future first-ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. After the 42-year-old led the team to its first AFC North title in five years last season, the potential for him to return for a 22nd NFL season and a second in Pittsburgh is still unknown.

But with his former Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy, now at the helm for the Steelers, perhaps Rodgers is more likely to return now than before. Furthermore, insider Mark Kaboly already has an idea of when the former Super Bowl MVP could put pen to paper this month.

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During his weekly Steelers mailbag, Kaboly was asked about a potential date for when Rodgers could re-sign with the club. Here is what he had to say:

“(May 18th) sounds like a pretty good date to me, but keep an eye on May 20th as well. The worst-case scenario would be June 2. Either way, he’s coming back, and you don’t want him to take reps away from Allar or Howard in the spring anyway, so why does anybody care?”

What Kaboly said in his answer is spot-on. With McCarthy in the fold, he is going to want his younger quarterbacks to grow and develop. If Rodgers came back now, he would take away meaningful practice reps from them. McCarthy also previously mentioned during his introductory press conference in January that Rodgers deserves to have some more time off, seeing as he has played in the NFL for over two decades.

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While Rodgers may get some flak for not always showing up to offseason workouts, voluntary offseason workouts that is, he doesn’t get enough respect for the way he plays during the season without showing up in parts of the offseason. During his final years in Green Bay, he still won back-to-back MVPs and guided the Packers to consecutive 13-win seasons after not showing up for much of the offseason.

Fans and the media should also keep in mind that Rodgers is on the cusp of turning 43 years of age this year. He deserves time to get some more rest before he throws himself back into the line of fire. Furthermore, as Kaboly noted, Rodgers is also doing the Steelers a solid by giving their young quarterbacks time to earn meaningful practice snaps. Those are very significant moments for players looking to grow at the next level.

When you have been a part of such a physical game for half your life, it makes sense that you would take time off to recuperate and enjoy life. That is what Rodgers is doing. He has accomplished everything there is to accomplish in the NFL and doesn’t need to prove anything else. While it is likely that he will return, it is smart for him to take time off.