Rodgers confirms – Aaron Rodgers says his final NFL season will be the 2026 campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, after talks with his wife “Brittani” and new head coach Mike McCarthy. The 42-year-old made the confirmation on Wednesday, days after signing a $25million contract.
Aaron Rodgers walked into his first media appearance in days and left little room for doubt. When reporters asked if 2026 was his final year, the 42-year-old delivered the answer plainly: “Yes, this is it.”
Rodgers confirmed on Wednesday that he will retire after the 2026 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The decision comes days after he signed a $25million contract to play on for one more year with the club.
He credits a personal conversation as much as the football side of the move. Rodgers said his wife—who is not publicly known and he has only referred to as “Brittani”—encouraged him to have one last go at winning another Super Bowl. Rodgers said he had been thinking the end was near after the 2025 campaign ended with a playoff loss to the Houston Texans. That defeat was followed by a major shake-up in Pittsburgh when Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach.
The path to continuing also sharpened when Mike McCarthy arrived as Tomlin’s successor. Rodgers said he’d won his only Super Bowl under McCarthy during his time with the Green Bay Packers, and described what happens next as a “full circle moment.”
Rodgers also pointed to the conversations that took place after his return to the team environment. He returned to camp on Tuesday as he ramps up preparations for what he called his “last dance.” Alongside talks with “Brittani. ” he said discussions with McCarthy and Steelers general manager Omar Khan helped him decide to keep going.
Rodgers, who turns 43 in December, is now setting his focus on the final season he believes will close out his career—set to finish with the Steelers under a coach who once guided him to the championship in Green Bay.
Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 season retirement Mike McCarthy Omar Khan Brittani Super Bowl Houston Texans Mike Tomlin
So he’s just staying one more year? man football is never simple lol.
I don’t get it, he signs for 25 million and then says he’s retiring anyway like that was always the plan. Also who is “Brittani” like why not just say her name??
Replying to the Steelers thing… but isn’t the Texans playoff loss from 2024? My cousin said he was done after the next contract year, so maybe he’s just saying what everyone wants to hear. McCarthy coming back to coach him is gonna be a full circle right? Idk sounds like PR to me.
Good for him I guess, but I’m already thinking they should’ve built around somebody younger. A “last dance” with a new head coach sounds cute until the o-line forgets how to block again. And Tomlin stepping down like somehow Rodgers made that happen too? This whole story feels weird.