Aaron Rodgers is back with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 season.
And “yes,” this will be his final NFL year.
Speaking with the media during OTAs on Wednesday, the veteran quarterback said that “[y]es. This is it” when asked if 2026 will be his final season in the NFL:
Rodgers also talked about having some “doubt” whether he would be back for 2026, and that he had several conversations with head coach Mike McCarthy, general manager Omar Khan, and his wife about whether he would be back:
If this feels familiar, it should. It is worth noting, after all, that when he announced his return to the NFL last summer, Rodgers said that he was “pretty sure” the 2025 campaign would be his final year in the league.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is it,” said Rodgers on The Pat McAfee Show in June of 2025. “That’s why we just did a one-year deal. Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years on that or anything, so this was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had.
“I played 20 fricking years. It’s been a long run. I’ve enjoyed it, and no better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL with Mike Tomlin and a great group of leadership and great guys in the city that expects you to win.”
However, Rodgers was moved by the hiring of McCarthy, as he noted on Wednesday:
Although interestingly enough, Rodgers indicated he suggested his former coach as a candidate to Steelers GM Khan:
So there you have it.
