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Aaron Rodgers says he is “pretty sure” the upcoming season will be his final one in the NFL.
“I’m pretty sure this is it,” Rodgers said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “That’s why we just did a one-year deal.”
Rodgers, who will turn 42 in December, joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year contract earlier this month. He also indicated he may be concentrating on life away from the field when he revealed he got married earlier this year.
Rodgers added that he believes the Steelers are the ideal team with which to end his career. He has spoken repeatedly about his respect for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who has never had a losing season since taking charge of the team in 2007.
“I’ve played 20 freakin’ years. It’s been a long run and I’ve enjoyed it,” said on Tuesday. “What better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises in the NFL with [coach] Mike Tomlin and a great group of leadership and great guys and a city that expects you to win?”
The Steelers are unlikely to get the version of Rodgers who once cut a swathe through the NFL in his prime with the Green Bay Packers, winning four league MVP awards and a Super Bowl along the way. Rodgers’s tenure with his last team, the Jets, was brief and rocky. After a torn achilles ended his 2023 debut after just four snaps, he returned in 2024 to start all 17 games. Though he threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns, the Jets finished just 5-12, and Rodgers ranked outside the top 25 in most efficiency metrics. The team sputtered to a 3-7 record in one-score games.
Rodgers will face a familiar foe in Week 1 of the upcoming season: Pittsburgh are scheduled to play the Jets in their 2025 opener. They play the Packers in Week 8.
