Aaron Rodgers Non-Committal on Retirement, Won’t Make ‘Emotional Decisions’

Rodgers wouldn’t answer questions about his future after the Steelers lost to the Texans.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggled against the Houston Texans in the wild-card round. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Aaron Rodgers may be done as an NFL player, but he won’t make that decision yet.

After the Steelers lost to the Texans 30-6 in their wild-card round matchup Monday night, Rodgers was non-committal about his future, saying he wouldn’t make any “emotional decisions.”

"I'm not going to make any emotional decisions."

–Aaron Rodgers when asked about his future. pic.twitter.com/3gU7HNNVC1

— ESPN (@espn) January 13, 2026

The 42-year-old said he’d take some time away before making announcements regarding his future. As he walked off the field, for what many assumed was for the final time, cameras lingered to watch it.

Rodgers struggled on Monday night as Houston’s relentless defense held Pittsburgh’s offense in check. The four-time NFL MVP completed 17-of-33 passes for 146 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception, two fumbles, and one lost. His final throw of the night, and possibly his career, was intercepted by Texans safety Calen Bullock and returned 50 yards for a touchdown.

Mason Rudolph replaced Rodgers for the game’s final drive.

Pittsburgh’s offense, which struggled with consistency all season, only managed 175 yards on 56 snaps Monday night. That was an average of 3.1 yards per play.

Aaron Rodgers 2025 stats

Rodgers signed a one-year, $13.65 million deal with the Steelers in June and put up solid numbers in his first season with the franchise.

He started 16 games and completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His passer rating (94.8) was an improvement over 2024, but his QBR (44.3) ranked 23rd among qualifying quarterbacks.

While the end of his career is rapidly approaching, Rodgers’s 2025 season showed he may have a bit left in the tank.

If Rodgers does come back, he’ll be a free agent, and he sidestepped when asked if he’d want to return to Pittsburgh.

If he doesn’t announce his retirement, we could be in for another long offseason waiting for Rodgers to make a decision.

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