Steelers News
Rodgers Announces 2026 Season Will Be His Last
Aaron Rodgers is playing his final season. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback told reporters Wednesday that he plans to retire at the end of 2026, ending what will be a 22-year NFL career.
“Yes. This is it,” Rodgers said when asked directly whether this would be his final season. He spoke during the team’s first organized team activity of the spring, one day after reporting to the Steelers’ facility to begin the offseason program.
The announcement removes any ambiguity about Rodgers’ future. After months of uncertainty following Pittsburgh’s 30-6 wild-card loss to the Houston Texans in January, Rodgers agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $25 million to return to Pittsburgh for a second season. He made the decision, he said, shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft, in part because the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as head coach, reuniting Rodgers with the man who coached him for 13 of his 18 seasons in Green Bay.
At 42, Rodgers no longer throws the ball the way he once did. He averaged just 6.7 yards per attempt in 2025, ranking 27th among qualified passers, and posted a 68.7 PFF grade, 29th at the position. But he finished the regular season with 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 16 starts, led Pittsburgh to the AFC North title, and returned the franchise to the playoffs for the third straight year.
His résumé speaks for itself. Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP, four-time first-team All-Pro, ten-time Pro Bowler, and the Super Bowl XLV MVP. He enters 2026 fifth on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list and sits at 527 career touchdown passes, just 13 away from passing Peyton Manning for third place on the all-time list.
Whether Rodgers chases that milestone, or anything else, may matter less to him than how the season ends. He has one year, one team, and one chance.
“There’s definitely a full circle moment,” Rodgers said of reuniting with McCarthy for what will be his last ride in the NFL.