Aaron Rodgers has officially announced his intention to retire after the 2026 season, marking the conclusion of a remarkable career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 42-year-old quarterback made this announcement on Wednesday during his first media appearance after recently signing a $25 million contract, which ensures he will play one more season with the team.
When questioned by reporters about whether 2026 would indeed be his final year, Rodgers confirmed, “Yes, this is it.” His statement puts to rest any speculation about his future beyond that season.
Renowned as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the sport, Rodgers shared that his decision was heavily influenced by his wife, whom he affectionately calls “Brittani” without revealing her full name. She persuaded him to make one last attempt at securing another Super Bowl victory before hanging up his cleats.
Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP, had initially considered retiring following the 2025 season. This contemplation came after a playoff loss to the Houston Texans and the departure of Mike Tomlin, who stepped down as head coach of the Steelers.
“When he said he was stepping away, that was an emotional moment just because we all love him so much and care about him, and I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh,” Rodgers reflected, highlighting the deep bond he shared with Tomlin and the team.
‘When he said he was stepping away, that was an emotional moment just because we all love him so much and care about him, and I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh,’ Rodgers said.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has confirmed that 2026 will be his final season in the NFL
The 42-year-old was at Steelers practice this week after signing a deal for one more year
But another reason he was convinced to continue was the arrival of Mike McCarthy as Tomlin’s successor – the head coach Rodgers won his only Super Bowl with while at the Green Bay Packers.
‘There’s definitely a full circle moment,’ Rodgers said of finishing his career under McCarthy. ‘When the decision was made to hire Mike, I started opening my mind back up to coming back.
‘Honestly, sitting in the first 8 o’clock meeting on Monday took me back to being a 22-year-old kid sitting in Green Bay.’
Rodgers, who turns 43 in December, returned to camp on Tuesday as he steps up his preparations for his last dance.
He said that as well as discussing his future with Brittani, talks with McCarthy and Steelers general manager Omar Khan helped him decide to keep going.
Rodgers’ $25m contract for 2026 is almost double what the Steelers paid him last year. When he penned a $13m deal for the 2025 campaign, he told Pat McAfee that it was with a view to end his career there.
‘That’s why we just did a one-year deal,’ Rodgers told McAfee last summer. ‘This was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had.’
But it turned out he wasn’t quite ready to walk away. Rodgers now heads into a 22nd year in the NFL.
Rodgers reunites with Mike McCarthy, who he won a Super Bowl with, this year in Pittsburgh
The bulk of that time was with the Packers but he left for the New York Jets in April 2023, vowing to reinvigorate the struggling franchise.
The move turned out to be a disaster, though. He tore his Achilles just four snaps into his debut against the Buffalo Bills and missed the rest of the first season.
When he returned in 2024, the Jets went 5-12 and didn’t get anywhere near a playoff spot. When Aaron Glenn took over as head coach, he told Rodgers he was no longer needed – a move that irked the quarterback deeply.
He took great joy on Week 1 last year as he returned to MetLife Stadium to beat narrowly Glenn and the Jets in a 34-32 thriller.
Rodgers’s final season begins at home to Atlanta Falcons in September – the Steelers don’t play the Jets in the regular season but do face them in a preseason game Rodgers will likely miss.
There is no return to Green Bay, either, for Rodgers. They face Super Bowl runners up New England Patriots in Week 2 and also head to Paris to play New Orleans Saints in October.
The Steelers close the season with a brutal six-game stretch against playoff cotenders, including the Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, as well as AFC North rivals Baltimore Ravens.
If Rodgers leads his team through that, who knows how far they can go from there?
