After 22 seasons in the sport, football vet Aaron Rodgers is finally hanging up his cleats.
The 42-year-old quarterback, currently playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, announced in a press conference on Wednesday, May 20, that he will officially be retiring after the 2026 season.
© Getty Images"Yes. This is it," he said during a conference in Pittsburgh in response to whether this would be his final season, calling it a "full circle" moment being able to play under the direction of coach Mike McCarthy, who coached him during his 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
In fact, it was having Mike back that swayed him to stay with the team longer in the first place. "I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh. But when the decision was made to hire Mike, I started opening my mind back up to coming back," Aaron said.
© Getty ImagesHe signed a contract worth $25 million with the Steelers this past week, and expressed that he'd even had some "doubt" about returning for the current season, but conversations with his coach, manager and wife convinced him otherwise.
"I had a lot of conversations with Mike, [manager Omar Khan], for a while," he added. "And you know, had a lot of conversations with my wife about it, after the draft came to the conclusion that I wanted to play, I wanted to come back."
Last year, though, he'd shared with Pat McAfee that 2025 was likely going to be his last season. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is it. That's why we just did a one-year deal. Steelers didn't need to put any extra years on that or anything, so this was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I've had."
© Getty ImagesAaron's career began with the Packers back in 2005, a tenure that lasted all the way until 2022, including a Super Bowl championship (and being named the Super Bowl's MVP). He then played with the New York Jets for the 2023-24 season, before signing on to the Steelers the year after.
Speaking of, Aaron's wife, as it turns out, is a mystery for NFL fans, with the quarterback having mentioned that she is a "private" person, who doesn't even have social media. "I'm with somebody who's private," he continued during his conversation with Pat, saying she "doesn't want to be in the public eye."
© Getty Images"If and when she wants to be out, and there's a picture, she'll choose that and she has a right to that," he added, though isn't shy about sharing how much they are in love (they tied the knot in 2025, and Aaron is yet to even reveal her name).
"When you meet the right one, and you're with the right one, your whole world changes in a second," he said in July 2025 at a Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. "And to have that person that unconditionally loves you behind the scenes, there's no better feeling in the world, and I have the most incredible wife."
© Getty ImagesHe added: "I just really love her, and I'm so thankful to have her by my side at the end. When you have that stability and that rock behind you at the house, you feel like you can do anything."
