It took longer than anyone perhaps wanted, but Aaron Rodgers will be back in 2026 to be the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran signal-caller also announced that it would be the final season of his NFL career.
In his first news conference since signing his new one-year deal with the Steelers, Rodgers replied, “This is it,” when asked if he would retire after the 2026 season.
The upcoming season will be Rodgers’ 22nd overall and second with the Steelers. At 42 years old, it’s not surprising that he is calling this his swan-song season. However, some still believe he might not hang up his cleats at season’s end.
Aaron Rodgers Predicted to Delay Retirement
Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr recently released his 100 bold predictions ahead of the 2026 season. His list was not absent of Rodgers, who has been one of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason.
At No. 83, Orr predicted that this would not be Rodgers’ final season, despite his claim that it would be.
“Aaron Rodgers will not reach the playoffs in what he says is his final season … and this will not be his final season, anyway,” Orr wrote.
“With gap-year needs potentially developing for the Rams and Vikings, among other teams with head coaches Rodgers admires and would like to work with, the quarterback will walk away from Pittsburgh after a nine-win, nonplayoff campaign and into a summer of exploring other interests before eventually landing in training camp with either the Packers, Rams, Vikings, 49ers or Cardinals.”
As for seeing Rodgers make a return to Green Bay, it would certainly be intriguing, but it doesn’t make a ton of sense with Jordan Love already established as the franchise quarterback.
The Vikings could be searching for answers again if things don’t work out with Kyler Murray. The Rams could eventually need a replacement if Matthew Stafford decides to retire. The Cardinals were also linked to Rodgers before he ultimately signed with Pittsburgh.
There are certainly scenarios where another opportunity could emerge. The bigger question is whether Rodgers would actually want to keep playing.
Would Aaron Rodgers Really Return For Another Season?
Not many have the Steelers returning to the playoffs in 2026, which aligns fairly closely with Orr’s nine-win projection. FanDuel’s current projections have Pittsburgh at 7.5 wins.
Either way, that likely leaves the Steelers on the outside looking in when it comes to the postseason. If that happens, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine some wondering whether Rodgers could be tempted to make one final run elsewhere.
Still, returning for a 23rd NFL season seems highly unlikely.
Rodgers has generally stood by his public comments throughout his career, and he appears well aware that he’s in the twilight of his playing days. It’s also worth remembering that he took months to decide whether he even wanted to return for the 2026 season.
There are also performance-related questions.
ESPN’s Ben Solak noted that among 38 qualified quarterbacks last season, Rodgers ranked 33rd in dropback success rate and 37th in percentage of throws traveling at least 10 yards downfield. He also led the NFL in throws behind the line of scrimmage and had the quickest average time to throw.
With the offseason additions on offense and Mike McCarthy taking over as head coach, those numbers could improve in 2026.
The question is whether the improvement will be enough to get the Steelers back into the playoffs and convince Rodgers that one more season isn’t necessary.
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