Aaron Rodgers made his plans pretty clear on The Pat McAfee Show shortly after signing with the Steelers in June. He is entering the 2025 season with the intention of it being his final ride in the NFL. He has since softened that stance and continues to leave the door open for a 2026 return.
On Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast, DK Metcalf and Rodgers were both describing how special the team cohesion is in Pittsburgh, and Metcalf slipped in a “maybe we can run it back” while staring directly at Rodgers with a wry smile.
“Maybe,” Rodgers replied.
“Wow, you got him at a maybe?” Heyward interjected.
It sounds like multiple teammates have been trying to work this idea into Rodgers’ head this offseason.
“I told you, it’s just massaging it,” Metcalf said with a fist bump flying in from Heyward.
This being Rodgers’ 21st NFL season and turning 42 in December, he is already pushing the envelope for what’s possible. A 22nd season at 43 years old would be unicorn territory like Tom Brady a few years ago.
Rodgers explained his relationship with football earlier in the show.
“I love this game, and I don’t need it,” the four-time NFL MVP said. “I’ve had a 20-year career. I’ve had a lot of success, accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish, but I fell in love with this game when I was five years old. And I wanted to get that love back to where I felt like it should be in the twilight of my career.”
Teammates can work the idea of a 2026 season into his head all they want. It will ultimately come down to how well the 2025 season goes in Pittsburgh. In the unlikely event that the Steelers win the Super Bowl, Rodgers might choose to ride off into the sunset with his John Elway moment. If they make a deep playoff run, he might justify coming back for one last attempt.
He only signed a one-year deal with the Steelers, so they would have to go through a lengthy Rodgers decision process all over again next offseason. GM Omar Khan told the media that they are not closing the door on Rodgers beyond 2025 depending on how the season goes.
They will also be looking at the QB class in the 2026 NFL Draft. It might be the perfect situation to have a rookie sit back and observe one of the all-time greats, especially with Rodgers relishing the role of mentoring young players.
Like it or not, there seems to be a growing chance that Rodgers decides to run it back in 2026. But that will all depend on how this season goes in Pittsburgh.
