Aaron Rodgers says he will retire after 2026 NFL season: 'This is it'

Aaron Rodgers, 42, announced at Pittsburgh Steelers OTAs on Wednesday that he will retire following the 2026 NFL season, stating 'This is it' at his first press conference after signing a one-year deal to return to Pittsburgh. Rodgers admitted he had considered retiring when longtime Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons, but the hiring of Mike McCarthy — under whom Rodgers played for over a decade in Green Bay — convinced him to play a 22nd NFL season. The declaration is more definitive than his comments from June of the previous year, when he said he was only 'pretty sure' 2025 would be his last season.