Aaron Rodgers is gearing up for one final lap in his storied NFL career.
The 42-year-old quarterback, who has captured the NFL MVP title four times, announced that the 2026 season will mark his farewell to professional football. In a poignant twist, Rodgers will conclude his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he will reunite with Mike McCarthy, the team’s first-year head coach. The duo once led the Green Bay Packers to Super Bowl glory, solidifying their place in NFL history.
While McCarthy is just embarking on his journey with the Steelers, Rodgers is preparing to write the final chapters of a career destined for the Hall of Fame.
Reflecting on Rodgers’ remarkable journey, it’s clear his path to greatness was anything but conventional.
From Humble Beginnings
Rodgers’ rise to prominence began at Butte College, where he honed his skills before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley. His impressive performance at Cal turned him into a top NFL prospect. However, despite high expectations, Rodgers experienced a longer-than-anticipated wait on draft day in 2005, ultimately being chosen 24th overall by the Green Bay Packers.
Patience pays off
After sitting behind Brett Favre for three seasons, Rodgers got his opportunity to be the Packers’ starter in 2008 after Favre – who retired briefly and then returned — was traded to the Jets. Rodgers quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s top passers, throwing for 4,038 yards. It was the first of 10 seasons during which he’d pass for at least 4,000 yards.
Super season
Rodgers led the Packers to the Super Bowl to cap the 2010 season and was selected the game’s MVP after throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns in Green Bay’s 31–25 win over Pittsburgh.
First MVP
Rodgers won the first of his four AP NFL MVP awards in 2011 after passing for a career-high and franchise-best 4,643 yards with 45 TDs and just six interceptions while setting an NFL record with a 122.5 passer rating.
Second MVP
In 2014, Rodgers and the Packers bounced back from a sluggish 1-2 start to reach the NFC championship game, where Green Bay lost to Seattle. He capped the season by winning his second MVP award.
“Miracle in Motown”
Arguably Rodgers’ most memorable pass came in Detroit in Week 13 of the 2015 season against the Lions, who led the Packers 23-20 and appeared to win until a defensive facemask penalty was called with no time left on the clock. It gave Green Bay one more chance and Rodgers chucked a 61-yard toss that was caught by Richard Rodgers in the end zone for an unlikely victory. It was the first of Rodgers’ four career completed Hail Mary throws, the most in NFL history.
Third MVP
Rodgers threw a career-high and Packers-record 48 TD passes and set a personal best with a 70.7 completion percentage on his way to his third AP NFL MVP award. The Packers made it to the NFC title game again, but lost to Tom Brady and eventual Super Bowl-champion Tampa Bay. Rodgers fell to 1-4 in conference championship games and became the first QB to lose four straight appearances.
Vaccination controversy
Rodgers missed a game in 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19 and later acknowledged he hadn’t gotten the vaccine. He said he was “immunized” when asked about his vaccination status before the season. Although he took responsibility for being misleading about his status initially, Rodgers also criticized the way NFL protocols impacted unvaccinated players and frequently spoke out regarding his skepticism over the vaccine.
Fourth MVP
Rodgers capped the 2021 season by winning his fourth AP NFL MVP award, becoming the fifth player to win consecutive MVPs and first since Peyton Manning (2008 and 2009). He and Manning are also the only players to win at least four MVP awards.
Swan song in Green Bay
Rodgers signed a three-year contract before the 2022 season with the Packers worth $150.8 million, with $101.5 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid player in North American sports history on an annual basis at that time. He broke his right thumb early in the season, but continued playing and the Packers finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs.
Big deal, big disappointment
Rodgers was traded to New York on April 26, 2023, immediately raising expectations for the Jets, whose only Super Bowl appearance was in the 1968 season. But just four snaps into his debut in the season opener against Buffalo, Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon.
Broadway bust
Rodgers started off slowly in his return from his torn Achilles tendon and then dealt with other knee, ankle and hamstring injuries as the Jets got off to a 2-3 start and fired coach Robert Saleh. Rodgers played better down the stretch, but New York finished 5-12 and missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year. After becoming the fifth player in NFL history to throw 500 regular-season TD passes in the season finale, Rodgers said he needed to take some time off to ponder his playing future.
Jetting away
On Feb. 13, 2025, the Jets said they had informed Rodgers that new coach Aaron Glenn and new general manager Darren Mougey would be moving in another direction at quarterback. He was released a month later, officially ending Rodgers’ tenure with the franchise.
A happy pit stop in Pittsburgh
Rodgers signed with the Steelers in June 2025 and quickly began leaning into everything that comes with playing for one of the league’s iconic franchises. He took rookie quarterback Will Howard under his wing and quickly won over the locker room with his humor and his cool California swagger.
Oh, and the football at times was great, too. Rodgers passed for 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 2025, leading the Steelers to their first AFC North title since 2020. He also leapfrogged Favre into fourth place on the NFL’s all-time touchdown pass list.
He spent four months pondering whether to return before re-signing with Pittsburgh just before the start of organized team activities and left no room for speculation about whether 2026 would be his last season.
“This is it,” he said.
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AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.
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