After 21 seasons, Aaron Rodgers might suit up for his final NFL game on Sunday … or maybe not. Rodgers, who can lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs with a win in Week 18, was noncommittal about his 2026 plans once his 2025 season is over.
The 42-year-old Rodgers, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers in June, has put up solid numbers this season. Through 15 games, he has 23 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Those numbers represent a decline compared to Rodgers’ peak seasons, but he has played well enough to help his team win games.
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While Rodgers said he expects he’ll draw interest from “one or two” teams in the offseason, he isn’t sure whether he wants to continue his career in 2026.
Notably, Rodgers said “if I decide I still want to play” while answering the question.
That shouldn’t come as a major surprise, as Rodgers has been noncommittal about his NFL future since at least 2023, when he infamously went on a darkness retreat to reflect on his career.
He ultimately decided to keep playing and was traded to the New York Jets, with whom he sustained a torn Achilles just a few snaps into his first start with the team. He returned in 2024 and put up solid numbers, though the Jets went just 5-12. Following the 2024 season, the Jets announced they would part ways with Rodgers.
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After months of rumors — and speculation over whether he still wanted to play — Rodgers signed with the Steelers on a one-year deal. While he has kept the team in playoff consideration throughout the season, Pittsburgh hasn’t shown a ton of improvement on offense with Rodgers at the helm. After ranking 16th in points scored per game last year, the Steelers rank 15th in that category in 2025.
Even so, the Steelers are in a win-and-in situation in Week 18. If Pittsburgh can defeat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, the Steelers will make the playoffs for the third straight season.
If the Steelers lose, Rodgers will head home and begin contemplating his future. At this point in his career, he has done more than enough to ensure he’ll be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. With little else to prove, Rodgers will return in 2026 only if he still enjoys playing football.
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That’s the same song and dance Rodgers has performed the past couple of offseasons, but considering his age and potential lack of options on the free-agent market, his flirtation with retirement feels a bit more legitimate this time around.
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