Aaron Rodgers retirement plan gets wife’s green light for Steelers finale
Aaron Rodgers said his wife approved one more NFL season and told reporters there is “zero debate” he will retire afterward.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Aaron Rodgers retirement talk is no longer a maybe: the Steelers quarterback told reporters Tuesday that his 22nd NFL season will be his last, saying his wife signed off on one more run in Pittsburgh.
Rodgers, 42, is back at Steelers training camp after weighing whether to keep playing. According to TMZ Sports, the four-time MVP credited two factors for his return: the hiring of Mike McCarthy as Pittsburgh’s head coach and approval at home.
“I thought last year might be it, and then Mike got hired,” Rodgers told reporters. “I talked to the wife, and she said, ‘You can do one more year and see if it works out.’ And then it kind of all came together.”
The line landed because Rodgers has spent the offseason facing the question that has followed him through the back end of his career: one more year, or time to walk away. This time, he gave a clear answer.
Is Aaron Rodgers retiring after this season?
Yes, according to Rodgers. When asked whether there was any chance he could change his mind and play again after this season, he answered, “No. Zero debate. Zero.”
That leaves the Steelers with one season of Rodgers under center, barring an unforeseen change. TMZ Sports reported that Rodgers had been undecided after last season ended with a playoff loss to the Texans, but McCarthy’s arrival helped pull him back for another year.
The reunion is a major thread in the story. Rodgers and McCarthy spent years together with the Green Bay Packers, and TMZ Sports described the Pittsburgh move as a return to an old partnership for the quarterback and coach.
Rodgers enters the season with one Super Bowl title on his résumé and, according to TMZ Sports, is chasing a second Lombardi Trophy before retirement. The outlet also noted that Pittsburgh is being viewed as a middle-of-the-pack team heading into the year, even with one of the sport’s most decorated quarterbacks taking snaps.
The age factor is impossible to miss. Rodgers is 42, and this will be his 22nd season as a professional player, according to TMZ Sports. Few quarterbacks have lasted that long, and even fewer have been asked to lead a new team while openly saying the finish line is already in sight.
His comments also add a personal twist to a football decision. Rodgers said the conversation with his wife was part of how the comeback came together, with her giving him the go-ahead for one final season.
For the Steelers, the setup is clean and dramatic: one year, one veteran quarterback, one familiar coach, and no public mystery about what comes next. Rodgers says this is the last dance, and he says there is no debate left.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.