Does Aaron Rodgers Hope to End his Career with the 49ers?

Remember, Rodgers grew up in Northern California, he played college football at Cal and expected to start his NFL career with the 49ers.

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) greets San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) after a game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The Steelers hope that Aaron Rodgers soon will decide to end his career in Pittsburgh -- that's why they haven't signed a starter yet. But it's possible that Rodgers wants to end his career in San Francisco instead.

That doesn't mean the 49ers want to sign Rodgers. From everything they've said, they want to sign Brock Purdy to a long-term extension. But if they can't come to an agreement with Purdy because he wants too much money, Rodgers might be willing to sign for a relative bargain.

Remember, Rodgers grew up in Northern California, he played college football at Cal and expected to start his NFL career with the 49ers. Instead, they drafted Alex Smith with the first pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and Rodgers fell to the Packers where he had a Hall of Fame career.

Twenty years later, what better way for Rodgers to finish his career than by signing with the team that should have drafted him and delivering them a Super Bowl victory for the first time since 1995?

I could see Rodgers wanting his story to end that way.

Unfortunately for Rodgers, he'll be 42 next season and he hasn't played particularly well since 2021. No team is dying to employ him in 2025. He doesn't seem to be any franchise's first choice except perhaps the Steelers, who might draft a quarterback next week and then lose interest in Rodgers. We'll see.

In the meantime, expect Rodgers to take his sweet time deciding where to play in 2025. And if negotiations between the 49ers and Purdy go sideways, expect Rodgers' name to enter the conversation.