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If you didn’t believe Aaron Rodgers when he first said this would be his last season, it might be sinking in now.
Rodgers, who re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason and said his 22nd NFL season will be his last, reiterated his desire to retire in training camp Monday.
“That’s it,” the 42-year-old told the media at a press conference.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers listens to head coach Mike McCarthy during NFL practice in Pittsburgh on May 20, 2026. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)
The thought of retirement has been floating around Rodgers for quite some time now, including this offseason, with the Steelers and the rest of the NFL for that matter waiting patiently to see if this really was the end of his career.
The Steelers, meanwhile, hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach after parting ways with longtime lineman Mike Tomlin. McCarthy and Rodgers have the obvious rapport to win together as the Green Bay Packers. They spent 15 seasons at Lambeau Field.
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Rodgers admitted McCarthy’s hiring was a key part of him wanting to ride one more season into the sunset.
“I thought last year might be it and then Mike got hired and then he talked to the wife and she said, ‘You can do one more year. See if it works out.’ And then it all came together,” he said.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers listens to a question during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
When a reporter mentioned that Rodgers’ top receiver, DK Metcalf, had said that players often claim it’s their last season only to return, Rodgers doubled down.
“No, no debate,” he replied.
Rodgers said as much in May during a news conference after signing his one-year pact with the Steelers, who he joined after a modest stint with the New York Jets.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on after being sacked in the first half of the NFL Wild Card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Jan. 12, 2026. (Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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In his first season with the Steelers in 2025, Rodgers went 10-6 and threw for 3,322 yards with a 65.7% completion rate and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
The Steelers also bolstered their offense this season, adding veteran wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. They also signed Rico Dowdle to work with Jaylen Warren in the backfield after Kenneth Gainwell, who Rodgers loved to dump the ball to, landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.
