Aaron Rodgers says final season call is settled at Steelers camp

Aaron Rodgers’ final season is no longer being treated as a maybe by the quarterback himself. Reporting to his 22nd NFL training camp Tuesday in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback told ESPN there is no uncertainty left about 2026 being his last year in football.

Rodgers spoke after the Steelers’ conditioning test at St. Vincent College, where he is beginning what he has said will be his last training camp. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that Rodgers had already expressed the same view in May, and he doubled down when asked whether a strong season could change the plan.

His answer was short. Rodgers said, “No,” then added, “Zero debate. Zero,” according to ESPN.

Is 2026 Aaron Rodgers' final season?

According to Rodgers, yes. The four-time MVP told ESPN there is “zero debate” about retiring after the 2026 season, even though Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf had just suggested the quarterback might feel differently if the year goes smoothly.

Metcalf told local reporters before Rodgers’ media session that players can say things before a season without knowing how the year will unfold. He said Rodgers might avoid heavy contact and decide he wants to play another season, according to ESPN.

Metcalf also framed Rodgers’ declaration as something that could help him play loose. He said the quarterback can enjoy what may be his last year with teammates and close friends he has made during the past two seasons.

Rodgers gave ESPN a glimpse at how he got to this point. He said he thought last season might have been the end, but Mike McCarthy’s hiring changed the picture. Rodgers said he discussed the decision with his wife, who told him he could play one more year, and the plan then came together.

Why Mike McCarthy is part of the goodbye season

McCarthy coached Rodgers for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, starting in Rodgers’ second NFL season in 2005. ESPN reported that McCarthy called the chance to work with Rodgers again in his last season meaningful.

McCarthy said he has known Rodgers “since the beginning” and has watched him grow personally and professionally. He also noted Rodgers’ age, 42, and said the moment is not lost on him as they line up together one more time.

Rodgers said the mood of this camp does not feel as dramatic as he expected. He told ESPN last year’s arrival felt heavier, while this year he is mostly happy to be back around teammates and to reconnect with players he had not seen in a while.

The quarterback also spent part of the offseason building timing with his pass catchers. ESPN reported that after hosting teammates in Malibu during his first offseason, Rodgers and a group including Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson took a four-day ranch trip during their summer break.

Rodgers said the players wanted an “experience” in the mountains rather than another Malibu trip, according to ESPN. He said he researched options before a ranch became available.

Metcalf told ESPN that his communication with Rodgers is far ahead of where it stood at the same point last year. The two are suitemates again in the St. Vincent College dorms, and Metcalf helped Rodgers unload his car when the quarterback arrived late Monday night.

For the Steelers, the storyline is now clean and loud: Rodgers is back, McCarthy is beside him, and the quarterback says the clock stops after this season.

This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.