Aaron Rodgers says 2026 final season

Aaron Rodgers said on Wednesday that the 2026 season will be his last in the NFL, giving the Pittsburgh Steelers a one-year window with the 42-year-old quarterback they brought back earlier this month. Rodgers told reporters he was “officially back” and answered “Yes. This is it” when asked whether this would be his final season, according to reports from Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports and other outlets. The announcement puts a firm end date on Rodgers’ second season in Pittsburgh and sharpens the focus on the team’s quarterback depth chart behind him. NFL.com reported that new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that the club has four quarterbacks “that we love”: Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar. ### What exactly did Rodgers say about retirement? (si.com) Aaron Rodgers told reporters Wednesday that 2026 would be his final NFL season. Sports Illustrated’s Steelers coverage said Rodgers described himself as “officially back” and then said “this is it” when asked about his retirement plans in Pittsburgh. Yahoo Sports, citing Rodgers’ remarks, reported that the quarterback had again addressed retirement directly after doing so in previous offseasons. (nfl.com) USA Today also reported Wednesday that Rodgers said he plans to retire after the 2026 campaign. ### When did Pittsburgh bring Rodgers back? May 16 was the date Sports Illustrated reported Rodgers had agreed to return to the Steelers on a one-year deal for 2026. (si.com) That report said the contract carried a base salary between $22 million and $23 million and could reach $25 million. June 2025 was when Rodgers previously signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh after a long free-agency process, according to earlier Sports Illustrated reporting. (sports.yahoo.com) That earlier deal had a $13.65 million base salary, with $10 million guaranteed and a maximum value of $19.5 million through incentives. ### Who is in the Steelers’ quarterback room behind him? (si.com) Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that Pittsburgh currently has four quarterbacks on the roster mix: Rodgers, Rudolph, Howard and Allar. NFL.com quoted McCarthy as saying, “We’ve definitely got four that we love,” while discussing how the Steelers will manage the room. Mason Rudolph gives Pittsburgh a veteran backup option, while Howard and Allar represent the younger developmental side of the group. (si.com) NFL.com described Rodgers as the starter in a room that is more crowded than most teams carry into the summer. ### Why does this matter for Pittsburgh’s 2026 setup? The 2026 season is now framed by Rodgers himself as a final run rather than an open-ended arrangement. (nfl.com) Sports Illustrated’s Steelers coverage said his confirmation immediately turned attention toward what comes after him, and separate Steelers coverage has already focused on the team’s 2027 quarterback options. Will Howard has already been a focus of that succession conversation. Steelers Wire reported this week that Howard’s work behind Rodgers gives the team a meaningful evaluation window, while Drew Allar remains part of the longer-term picture. ### What comes next on the calendar? The next phase is Pittsburgh’s offseason program, where Rodgers, Rudolph, Howard and Allar will continue working under McCarthy before training camp. (si.com) NFL.com’s Wednesday report on McCarthy’s remarks tied the four-quarterback discussion directly to the club’s current spring practices. The 2026 regular season will now serve as Rodgers’ announced final campaign, unless he changes course. (nfl.com) As of Wednesday, the public position from Rodgers was direct: “This is it.” (msn.com)