The Pittsburgh Steelers have effectively doubled down on their uncertainty at quarterback by making a calculated move to retain control over Aaron Rodgers while simultaneously preparing for a future that may not include him.

With no commitment yet from the veteran, Pittsburgh has placed a rarely used unrestricted free agent tender on Rodgers, providing a mechanism that allows the franchise to match any external offer while also locking in negotiating leverage as his decision drags on. The tender carries roughly a 10 percent pay rise, taking A-Rod’s potential 2026 salary to around $15m, and ensures that, if Rodgers does not sign elsewhere before training camp, the Steelers hold exclusive rights to bring him back.

It is, in effect, a hedge. Rodgers, now 42 and not averse to making teams wait for him to decide his future, remains unsure as to whether he intends to play on after a 2025 season that saw him guide Pittsburgh to the playoffs, leaving the organisation in something of a holding pattern thus far into the offseason.

That ambiguity will surely have gone some way to framing Pittsburgh’s approach to the recent NFL Draft where, with the 76th overall pick, they selected Drew Allar out of Penn State, adding a high-upside arm to a room that already includes Mason Rudolph and second-year prospect Will Howard.

The selection does not signal a definitive pivot away from Rodgers, but does underline a shift towards insulating themselves against his retirement while building depth while leaving the door open for the veteran’s return. If Rodgers returns, he remains the unquestioned starter and the roster will be shaped around (another) final push for a Super Bowl under new head coach Mike McCarthy. If he doesn’t, Pittsburgh at least has a developmental pipeline in place, and the accompanying flexibility to transition without scrambling.

For now, though, everything still hinges on Rodgers — as usual.