Aaron Rodgers announces upcoming retirement from NFL after 22 seasons

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and four-time NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers announced Wednesday he will be retiring from the sport after the 2026 season, ending a 22-seaon career.

The formal confirmation comes after Rodgers, who won the Super Bowl in 2011 when he played for the Green Bay Packers, signed a one-year contract with the Steelers on Monday. The season marks his second with Pittsburgh. 

The quarterback was asked by reporters Wednesday whether this marked his last season, to which he replied, "Yes, this is it.”

Rodgers said he was initially planning to leave the sport after the 2025 season, but the Steelers' recruitment of coach Mike McCarthy, whom Rodgers had played for in Green Bay for 13 seasons, helped him decide to do one more season.

“I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh,” Rodgers told reporters. “But when the decision was made to hire Mike, I started opening my mind back up to coming back.”

Rodgers ends his career as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the history of professional football, per NBC News. The quarterback ranks tied for first all-time in passer rating, fourth in passing touchdowns and fifth in passing yards.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.