Aaron Rodgers hasn't decided on playing in 2026 but remains in contact with Steelers ahead of free agency
Rodgers is enjoying the offseason, staying in shape and figuring out what's next
Aaron Rodgers hasn't ruled out playing in 2026, but at this point, the future Hall of Fame quarterback has not committed to it either.
Rodgers told Pat McAfee on Tuesday that he has not made a decision on the upcoming season, which would be his 22nd in the NFL. Rodgers, who is slated to become a free agent on March 11, said he has continued to communicate with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who signed him to a one-year deal just before the start of the 2025 season.
"There's been no deadline that's been put in front of me," Rodgers said. "There's no contract offer or anything. So there's nothing that I'm having to debate between.
"I'm a free agent, and I'm enjoying my time with my wife and this part of the offseason. I think there are conversations to be had down the line, but right now, there haven't been any progressive conversations."
Rodgers had nothing but good things to say about the Steelers, who hired Mike McCarthy this offseason, his former coach with the Packers.
"I love Mike, and Mike and I have kept in contact over the years," Rodgers said. "I've had conversations with Omar [Khan]. I think Omar enjoyed having me there. I think the guys had a positive response to our time together, but again, there hasn't been a deadline set for me. There hasn't been any contract floating in front of me. ... There's been nothing to that respect. So in that manner, I'm working out ... and I'm spending time with my better half and interested in what the conversations will be, but there hasn't been any progression when it comes to that."
Rodgers, 42, has the fourth-most touchdown passes (527) and fifth-most passing yards (66,274) in league history. Only Peyton Manning has won more MVP awards than Rodgers.
Along with his four MVPs, Super Bowl win and record four Hail Mary completions, Rodgers' legacy includes possibly being the "greatest passer of the football the league's ever seen," a compliment once given to him by Tom Brady. Rodgers' unique release blazed a trail for the next generation of quarterbacks.
"I think he revolutionized how quarterbacks throw the football," Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow once said of Rodgers. "I think the way quarterbacks coaches teach it now is because of how he did it."
Rodgers' career has also been largely defined by overcoming obstacles.
Barely recruited out of high school, Rodgers starred at Butte College, a junior college near his hometown of Chico, California, for a year before receiving a scholarship offer from the University of California. And despite a successful two-year run with the Golden Bears -- including tying the NCAA single-game record for consecutive completions against national champion USC -- Rodgers waited in the green room for hours until the Packers selected him with the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
In Green Bay, Rodgers sat behind Hall of Famer Brett Favre for three years before finally getting his chance to start in 2008, though not before Favre made a last-ditch effort to get his job back following a brief retirement. The Packers' brass decided to move forward with Rodgers, who validated that decision two years later by leading Green Bay to a 31-25 win over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
Over the next 12 seasons, Rodgers won four league MVP awards while leading the Packers to the playoffs nine times, including four trips to the NFC Championship game. The Packers lost each game, however, including two particularly gut-wrenching defeats in 2014 and 2020.
Rodgers' future with the Packers became a hot-button topic in 2020 when the team traded up in the first round to select quarterback Jordan Love. Rodgers won league MVP in each of the next two seasons, but an injury in 2022 led to a season that fell short of expectations for both himself and the Packers, who were knocked out of playoff contention by the rival Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale.
In 2023, Rodgers was traded to the Jets, where he endured two challenging seasons that included his season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1 of his first season in New York. While he didn't play again that season, Rodgers still defied the odds by returning to practice less than three months after sustaining the injury.
Fully recovered, Rodgers played in all 17 games in 2024 while throwing 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Jets, however, decided to go in a different direction and released Rodgers at the start of the new league year.
After weighing his options, retirement included, Rodgers signed with the Steelers just before minicamp. He won 10 games as Pittsburgh's starter, helping the Steelers capture the AFC North title. Rodgers' final touchdown pass was the game-winner over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 that clinched the division and a playoff berth.
"I was fortunate to play in an incredible football city for 18 years and never took it for granted and enjoyed that time there," Rodgers said following Pittsburgh's wild-card playoff loss to the Houston Texans on Jan. 12. "This has been a really beautiful back end to the first 18, to be able to be here for a year. This is a special place. It's got tradition, it's got excellence, it's got all-time greats. You just look around the stadium tonight, just to see the fans. There wasn't a big splattering of Texans fans, and there's a lot to be said for that.
"There are only a few really special places in the league that have the tradition and the town and the organization, and I'm thankful to have played for two of them."
Rodgers may choose to continue playing for one of those organizations again in 2026, but at this point, he doesn't appear close to making a decision about his future anytime soon.
