There’s more information about why quarterback Aaron Rodgers signed a team-friendly one-year contract to join the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this month.
During a Tuesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers suggested he will retire from playing following the 2025 NFL season.
“I’m pretty sure this is it,” Rodgers said about the upcoming campaign being his last as an active player, as shared by Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “That’s why we just did a one-year deal. [The] Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years on it or anything. This was really about finishing with a lot of love, and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had. I mean, I’ve played 20 freaking years. It’s been a long run and I’ve enjoyed it. What better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL? With [head coach] Mike Tomlin and a great group of leadership, and great guys, and a city that expects you to win.”
Last July, Rodgers revealed that he wanted to “have two great years” as an NFL QB1 before he rode off into the sunset of retirement. He was then slowed by a hip issue, injuries to both his knees, a low ankle sprain and a serious hamstring problem before he turned 41 years old this past December.
A new-look New York Jets regime elected to part ways with Rodgers early into its first offseason in charge.
Some members of the NFL community previously criticized Rodgers for waiting until right before the Steelers’ three-day mandatory minicamp got underway on June 10 to officially join the organization. On Tuesday, he said that he had “conversations with” Tomlin “every single week” during what became one of the most-discussed sagas of the NFL offseason.
“It was really through those conversations that this became a reality,” Rodgers added about signing with Pittsburgh, per Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. “Most people who come to the Steelers talk about one of the reasons being [Tomlin]. I can say that was right at the top. The conversations we had, [it] felt like you were talking to an old friend.”
Rodgers’ “pretty sure” portion of his comment leaves the door open for the future Hall of Famer to change his mind about his plans for 2026 and beyond. For now, it seems like the four-time regular-season Most Valuable Player Award winner will be the subject of a retirement tour when the Steelers hit the road for their Week 1 game at none other than the Jets on Sept. 7.
