How Aaron Rodgers's Latest Comments About Retirement Differ From Last Season

Fairly or unfairly, most NFL fans assumed that his 2025-26 season with the Steelers would be veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers's last season in the league. Considering both his age and Pittsburgh's QB needs, it just seemed like the obvious choice.

Plus, he basically said as much at the time.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is it," Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show in June 2025. "That's why we just did a one-year deal. Steelers didn't need to put any extra years on that or anything, so this was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I've had.

"I played 20 fricking years. It's been a long run. I've enjoyed it, and no better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL with Mike Tomlin and a great group of leadership and great guys in the city that expects you to win."

As we now know, however, "pretty sure" did not mean "definitively sure." Because Rodgers has since decided to return to the Black and Gold on another one-year deal and thereby reunite with former Green Bay coach (and chosen Tomlin successor) Mike McCarthy.

On Wednesday, Rodgers appeared before the media after the Steelers' second day of OTAs, and naturally, the topic of retirement came up. This time, he spoke unequivocally.

“Yes. This is it,” Rodgers said, asked whether he believed this would be his final season.

"This is it."

Aaron Rodgers says he will retire after the 2026 season. pic.twitter.com/mjPADJdRLY
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 20, 2026

The quarterback added that he thought he would be done after Tomlin stepped down. But when McCarthy got the job, he started to think that another season could be an option.

"I had a conversation with [GM Omar Khan] last year. I encouraged him to interview Mike," Rodgers said, according to a transcription from Penn Live's Nick Farabaugh. "Not that he would, because of how the league goes. When it became more serious, I thought that would be really interesting to come back and play with Mike."

He added that there was a "full circle aspect" to that arrangement that he really enjoyed.

As for when exactly he made his long-awaited decision to come back and play, Rodgers said he made up his mind after the 2026 NFL draft.

"There was some doubt, for sure," he noted, alluding to whether he would indeed suit up again. "But I had good conversations with Mike, going back to when he was hired. ... After the draft, came to the conclusion that I wanted to come back."

Regarding the upcoming campaign, Rodgers also had a lot of praise for the Steelers' recent moves in both the draft and over the offseason, when they selected an OT in the first round and traded for another WR in Michael Pittman Jr., among other changes.

"I think we were close last year," Rodgers said. "I think we added some good pieces."

Well, assuming he sticks to his word, the QB's final regular-season game will be vs. the Ravens in Week 18. That's a flex contest, so we don't have the details just yet, but it is fitting that it will be against an AFC North rival.

One last ride for A-Rodg. Here We Go.

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