Aaron Rodgers is returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers for one more season, and the veteran quarterback says that this is it. He’s not playing another game in the league after this run.
But, can we believe him? That’s a fair question, especially with NFL players saying they’ll retire only to come back.
The first situation like this that comes to mind, of course, is when Tom Brady announced his retirement in February 2022, and then he unretired 40 days later. Brady came back for one last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before retiring for real in February 2023.
Another high-profile player who retired only to unretire is Brett Favre. After making a big deal out of leaving the NFL and Green Bay Packers in March 2008, he unretired just a few months later to join the New York Jets. Then, he retired again only to come back and play for the Minnesota Vikings in 2009. Then he retired permanently after the 2010 season.
We should believe Aaron Rodgers when he says he’s retiring after 2026
When Favre first retired, he was 38. The second time, he was 39, and the final time, he was 41. For Brady, he was 44 when he first retired and 45 when he did for real.
Rodgers’ age falls between those guys, at 42 years old. So, he could hold on and do a Brady.
But, we have reason to believe Rodgers that he’s really going to retire. Playing football takes a physical tool, and Rodgers has often talked about how physically challenging it is to continue to play in the NFL after being in the league for more than 20 seasons. He’s also played through multiple injuries.
Another reason this year could be Rodgers’ last is because it’s a full-circle moment for the quarterback. He’s back with Mike McCarthy, who coached and molded him for more than a decade with the Packers. It should feel great for Rodgers to play his final year in the NFL with a familiar and friendly face.