After inking a fresh one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, 42-year-old future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers has made his long-awaited career announcement official: the 2026 NFL season will be his last in professional football.
The 22-year NFL veteran closed out negotiations on the new contract this week, locking in his return to the Steelers for one final run that kicks off this coming September. When pressed by reporters during a recent press conference on whether this campaign would mark the end of his decorated playing career, Rodgers answered definitively: “Yes, this is it.”
Rodgers’ resume stands among the most impressive in league history: he captured a Super Bowl title with the Green Bay Packers in 2011 and has earned league Most Valuable Player honors four times across his career. He currently ranks fourth on the NFL’s all-time list for career touchdown passes and fifth for total passing yards, cementing his status as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Last year, Rodgers joined the Steelers on a one-year deal worth $13.65 million, a salary that landed far below the average for starting NFL quarterbacks around the league. His latest contract tells a different story, however: reports confirm the new deal includes $22 million in guaranteed compensation, with the potential to push total earnings up to $25 million through performance-based incentives.
Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks coach Tom Arth praised Rodgers’ enduring passion and edge for the game in comments following the contract announcement. “Aaron has a ferocious competitive spirit, but he still has so much fun playing,” Arth said, adding, “He plays the game like he’s still 10 years old running around in the backyard.”
Rodgers’ NFL journey began back in 2005, when the Green Bay Packers selected him in the first round of the annual NFL Draft. He spent 18 seasons with the Packers, pairing with current Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy to win that 2011 Super Bowl. McCarthy took over the Steelers job this offseason after previous head coach Mike Tomlin ended his 19-year tenure with the team, reuniting the former championship duo in Pittsburgh.
After leaving Green Bay for the New York Jets in 2023, Rodgers suffered a devastating torn Achilles injury on his debut with the team, forcing him to miss the entire remainder of that season. A disappointing second campaign with the Jets followed, leading to his release from the organization before he signed with the Steelers last year.
Father time has inevitably brought physical changes for Rodgers: he is no longer the mobile scrambler he was in his prime, and he missed one game for Pittsburgh during the 2025 season after suffering a broken wrist. Even amid an up-and-down season for the Steelers as a whole, however, Rodgers delivered when it mattered, guiding the franchise to a 10-7 regular season record and their first AFC North division title since 2020. The team’s run ended with a post-season loss to the Houston Texans, but Rodgers’ performance silenced many critics who questioned whether he still had enough left to compete at the highest level.
Back in April, with Rodgers’ future still up in the air, the Steelers addressed the quarterback position in the NFL Draft, selecting young prospect Drew Allar in the third round as a potential successor, a move that sets the stage for a smooth transition at the position once Rodgers retires at the end of the coming season.