Aaron Rodgers, the four-time NFL MVP, has confirmed Wednesday that the 2026 season will be his last campaign in the league. The announcement came during a press conference in Pittsburgh, where the quarterback stated simply: “This is it, yep.”
Rodgers, now 42, returns to the Pittsburgh Steelers for his second stint with the franchise after signing as an unrestricted free agent ahead of the 2025 season. His decision marks the end of a remarkable 22-year NFL career that began when he was selected 24th overall by the Green Bay Packers in 2005.
The move follows Pittsburgh’s hiring of Mike McCarthy, Rodgers’ former head coach with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers indicated he played a role in facilitating the Steelers’ decision to hire McCarthy, creating a reunion for what will be their final season together.
Rodgers had previously questioned whether his NFL career would end after the Steelers’ playoff loss in January and the subsequent coaching change. However, the arrival of McCarthy has provided clarity. The Steelers confirmed Rodgers signed a one-year contract for the 2026 campaign, solidifying the quarterback’s return to Pittsburgh as part of a farewell tour.
The decision ends years of uncertainty for Steelers fans and league observers alike. Rodgers joins the Steelers for what is described as his final push toward a second Super Bowl ring—a goal he has yet to achieve despite four MVP awards and one Super Bowl victory in 2010.
Rodgers’ journey from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets, where he suffered an early-season Achilles injury in 2023, eventually led him to Pittsburgh. His decision to retire on his own terms after a career marked by both individual brilliance and postseason heartbreak underscores his independence.
