It appears Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will ride off into the sunset after the 2026 season. Meeting with the media on Wednesday, Rodgers revealed that he will only play one more year (via Brooke Pryor of ESPN).
“Yes,” said Rodgers when asked if this will be his last season.
It is worth pointing out that Rodgers made similar comments last June, a couple of weeks after the former Packer and Jet ended a protracted trip to free agency to join the Steelers. It was a similarly drawn-out process this spring, but Rodgers finally agreed to return last weekend for a guaranteed $22MM. Rodgers stated that he made the decision after last month’s draft, adding he has been in Pittsburgh since early May (via Pryor). The four-time MVP and future Hall of Famer is now in line to play his 22nd season at the age of 42 (he’ll turn 43 in December).
Rodgers’ respect for longtime head coach Mike Tomlin influenced his decision to sign with Pittsburgh in 2025. The two went on to form a strong connection in a 10-7, AFC North-winning campaign for the Steelers. Rodgers did not resemble his all-world Green Bay self, but he bounced back from a couple of forgettable Jets seasons to win 10 of his 16 starts. He completed 65.7% of passes (in line with his career mark of 65.1), tossed 24 touchdowns against just seven interceptions, and posted a respectable 94.8 traditional rating.
While the regular season was a success for the Rodgers-led Steelers, the franchise extended its playoff losing streak to seven games. Led by a ferocious defense, Houston went into Pittsburgh in the wild-card round and crushed the Steelers, 30-6. Tomlin resigned shortly after that. It appeared Rodgers would follow Tomlin out the door, but then the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as their head coach. McCarthy held the same position in Green Bay from 2006-18. He and Rodgers won their only Super Bowl together, and the QB also took home two of his MVP awards in that span.
Rodgers told reporters Wednesday that he suggested McCarthy to Steelers general manager Omar Khan after Tomlin stepped down (via Pryor). The QB and coach were in communication over the past few months.
“There is a full aspect circle that piqued my interest of coming back,” Rodgers said of reuniting with McCarthy (via Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show).
Tomlin never posted a sub-.500 season in any of his 19 years at the helm, and he ended his Pittsburgh tenure with three straight playoff berths. The Steelers will expect similar regular-season results in McCarthy’s first year and Rodgers’ last, though it will go down as a disappointment if they are once again immediately dispatched in the playoffs. The Steelers have not won a postseason game since January 2017, which has led to increased frustration from their fan base.
With Rodgers’ career nearing an end, the Steelers may have to shop for a starting signal-caller yet again next offseason. That will depend on how much faith they have in 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard and rookie third-rounder Drew Allar. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 campaign, Pittsburgh has been unable to find a long-term answer at the game’s foremost position.
The Steelers spent a 2022 first-rounder on Kenny Pickett, but he lasted just two years with the organization. After Pickett flamed out, they brought in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as starting options in 2024. Despite making the playoffs that year, the Steelers were not impressed enough to bring Wilson or Fields back for a second season. That led them to Rodgers, who will go down as a two-year starter for the franchise.
Rodgers will enter his final season fourth all-time in touchdown passes and fifth in both yards and completions. He is 13 TD tosses from 540, which would move him past Peyton Manning for third on the list. He will also have a chance to become just the sixth QB to ever start a game at age 43 or older (via James Palmer of Bleacher Report).
“Aaron, will you confirm that you came back because you didn’t want your last pass to be a Pick 6 in an embarrassing playoff loss?”
“Also, Yes.”
So all we need is for no one to intercept his last pass and take it to the house and he’ll finally retire?
Better get that in writing.
Does anyone actually like Aaron Rodgers beside Pat?
Just took a poll: No
Good. He’s great but I’m good with another Brett Farve type jerk
Don’t tempt me with a good time
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I believe him 100%!!!
Nah.
I can already see headlines on this site next spring.. “Will Rodgers come back for one more year?”
Aaron Rodgers’ word plus four quarters is worth a dollar.
Aaron Rodgers’ word plus four quarters is only good for sixty minutes.
Four quarters is actually a solid under/over on how long he’ll last.
Oooof
Alright, I’m on record as thinking the Rodgers hate is overblown, but this one is pretty funny.
Rodgers transition plan to join Goodell’s Flag Football League should excite everyone 🙂
don’t worry. he has plenty of time to change his mind… and he will….
And we know rooney will beg him to come back. Delusional organization.
Oh thank god now we can spend a whole year talking about this and whether he will change his mind. Pro football rumors writers are rejoicing with the unwanted content they can fill the site with talking about their hero.
Yea I really believe anything out of his mouth.
That being said. I hope he decided to turn a new leaf and tell the truth.
We’ll get gta VI before he retires
It’s good to know what she decided to do for the 2027 season..
Which QB is the odd man out?
I’ve never liked the guy even in his prime. Never liked his style at all. Someone runs a wrong route , misses a block or drops a ball and he will expose them every time. I’ve always been a firm believer of coach in private and praise in public. If I were a player I would not want to play for or with him. Brady too on a lesser scale. Not knocking what the guy has done and a sure hall of famer but several other QBs I’d rather have in their prime than him.
Yeah, I didn’t mind that stuff so much when he was an absolute supernova talent, but man his whole schtick got old when he stopped being a transcendent talent.
If this headline is true, all I can say is thank you sweet baby Jesus.
See ya in the HOF.
Wish he said that for 2025.
one more nfl season .. then a graceful transition to his dream job .. commissioner of the wnba
great thrower of football. that’s it. not a leader and not a winner.
The greatest regular season QB in NFL history is 174-104-1 as a starter. He is a winner.
Regular season haha I bet you think LeBron is better than Jordan too
You didnt catch my irony … of course, Peyton Manning could also be considered the greatest regular season QB in NFL history but at least he won championships with different teams.
Jordan was the greatest NBA player, though LeBron, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson dominated their eras. Jordan was selfish though. Magic Johnson was the greatest unselfish player …
Thank heaven
He should’ve went out after his Packer days when I saw him as the best qb to ever play football. Now he’s just another whiny crybaby. Jets should have laughed at him when he handed him that list of players BEFORE he was even on the Jets