Speaking for the first time since re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 season, Aaron Rodgers clearly stated that this will be his last year in the NFL.
“Yes,” Rodgers said Wednesday afternoon. “This is it. Yup.”
"This is it."
Aaron Rodgers says he will retire after the 2026 season. pic.twitter.com/mjPADJdRLY
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 20, 2026
He was significantly less definitive when asked if this team could be a contender in the playoffs for his last ride.
“It’s Day 3 (of OTAs). Can we talk about that in Latrobe?” Rodgers said with a grin. “We have to temper expectations this time of year.”
Rodgers said that he has been back in the city since early May. Aside from the inquiry about the level of optimism heading into his final campaign, I’m wondering where he gets the impression that expectations about the Steelers need to be tempered.
I’m not getting that sense at all. I don’t think the expectations of Steelers fans are out of control in the least.
In fact, I hear most people predicting that the team will be roughly 10-7 again and not much of an AFC playoff contender.
If they make the postseason at all.
“Temper your expectations,” Rodgers continued. “Don’t make any snap judgments and wait until camp to see how it all comes together.”
Again, I’m not sure who Rodgers was talking about when he reiterated that expectations need to be tamped down. Maybe he was talking about media projections. But, aside from a few exceptions, I’m not reading a lot of 12-or-13-win predictions with Super Bowl hopes.
“Sometimes you get excited about how guys look in shorts and a helmet,” Rodgers also said. “Then the pads go on, and that changes everything. It changes how guys play. Some guys slow down. Some guys speed up. Some guys have extra confidence with pads on. Some guys have trepidation.”
I dunno. Based on that part of his answer. Maybe Rodgers was talking about himself.
Perhaps he’s the one getting excited seeing Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard out there at wide receiver instead of Calvin Austin and whatever the team was trying to squeeze out of Adam Thielen before he retired.
It’s possible he’s getting excited about using tight end Pat Freiermuth more often, a deeper offensive line or the Jaylen Warren-Rico Dowdle combination at running back.
“We were close last year. I think we added some good pieces. We needed a lineman, probably, at some point. They drafted a guy (Max Iheanachor) I like in the first round. We needed somebody who could work in the slot. Germie being picked there is a guy I think can do it,” Rodgers said. “Bringing in Pittman was obviously a good addition, too. Rico Dowdle, Jamel (Dean) on defense, (Jaquan) Brisker. A lot of good pieces added to the mix.”
It could also just be reuniting with coach Mike McCarthy and the playbook they used to thrive together in Green Bay from 2006-2018.
“There’s definitely a full circle aspect to it that piqued my interest from the start,” Rodgers said when asked if McCarthy was the only coach who could’ve coaxed him back for Year No. 22 of his career.
“It was surreal sitting in the first 8 a.m. meeting on Monday. It took me back to being a 22-year-old kid sitting in Green Bay listening to Mike’s first meeting in 2006. It’s fun. ‘Pinch me moments’ have been happening the last few days.”
Steelers fans would certainly like a few of those “pinch me moments.” Any way possible to flash back to some postseason glory days would be wonderful.
Presumably, the franchise believes that Rodgers could provide them. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have tediously waited until mid-May for him to sign a contract to return as the starting quarterback for a second consecutive year.
It sounds like Rodgers still needs some convincing. I sure do.
One thing is for sure. I don’t think optimism in Pittsburgh needs to be reined in before Week 1 against Atlanta.
Check back with me in late August after everyone has a scorching case of “Latrobe Flu” excitement and I might have a different opinion.
Based on what he said Wednesday, if things go well at Saint Vincent College, maybe Rodgers will as well.