Aaron Rodgers finally gave a straight answer. The Steelers quarterback said Wednesday that the 2026 season will be the last of his career. Asked directly if this would be his final NFL year, he replied with two words. “This is it.”
That ends one of the longest-running will-he-or-won’t-he sagas in modern NFL history. Rodgers has flirted with retirement for three offseasons in a row. This time he committed to a number, signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh worth up to $25 million, and reunited with Mike McCarthy, the man who coached him for 13 of his 20 years in Green Bay.
Rodgers is 42. He is starting his 22nd NFL season. He has four MVPs, one Super Bowl ring, and one Achilles surgery between now and the end. He has the third-most career touchdown passes in league history. There is nothing left for him to chase except a second ring with a Hall of Fame coach in a city built for grinding through January football.
The McCarthy hire was the deciding factor. “When it became more serious, I was thinking, ‘Wow, that’d be a really interesting thought to come back and play with Mike,'” Rodgers said. The Steelers fired Mike Tomlin in January after another wild card exit, brought in McCarthy, and then pursued Rodgers as the obvious bridge quarterback for one more run.
This is going to be the most-discussed quarterback farewell tour since Peyton Manning’s final season in Denver. Rodgers is bigger than any team. The Steelers are one of the most-watched franchises in the league. Pair them together, hand them a top-five defense, and you get a viewing event every single Sunday.
Pittsburgh’s offensive setup is built for him. DK Metcalf at receiver. George Pickens still on the roster after the trade rumors quieted down. Pat Freiermuth at tight end. Najee Harris back on a one-year deal. The line is rebuilt. McCarthy’s offense fits Rodgers’ style. The pieces are in place for one last serious run.
The defense is what makes Pittsburgh interesting. T.J. Watt is still T.J. Watt. The Steelers brought back Cam Heyward and signed Cam Sutton. They are going to be in every game on defense alone. If Rodgers gives them average quarterback play, this is a playoff team. If he gives them his 2023 self pre-Achilles, the Steelers can win the AFC North.
Steelers fans have been here before. Ben Roethlisberger had a goodbye tour. So did Cam Heyward in spirit. Rodgers is the first Hall of Famer Pittsburgh has brought in for one last ride, and he is going to handle it the way Aaron Rodgers handles everything. Loudly. Confidently. With at least one viral moment per week.
The other quiet story is what happens after Rodgers walks away. Pittsburgh has not drafted a long-term franchise quarterback in two decades. McCarthy and GM Omar Khan have one year to figure out the next guy. Shedeur Sanders, Will Howard, and Skattebo would all be available in next year’s class if any of them make it that far without being traded.
For now, the focus is on Rodgers. One year. One ring chase. One final wave goodbye. He told us. We have his word. Or at least the most recent version of it.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
