Aaron Rodgers is likely to retire from the NFL in the near future. According to CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala, multiple people close to the quarterback believe he won’t return to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026, despite many insiders suggesting he could play this year.
Last year, Rodgers waited until June to sign with the Steelers. His decision could come earlier in 2026.
Aaron Rodgers Expected To Retire From the NFL, According to Reporter
The quarterback signed a one-year deal in 2025 and hinted that it was going to be his final season. But the Steelers had a positive year, making the playoffs by winning the AFC North with a 10-7 record.
The early expectation after the season is that, in a positive environment, the veteran might return for another season.
But Kinkhabwala poured cold water on Pittsburgh fans’ hopes. Appearing on 93.7 The Fan’s Live Stream on Wednesday, the reporter said that her sources point to a “minuscule” chance of Rodgers returning in 2026:
“Having spoken to people who were around him, who have been around him, most everyone that I’ve spoken to who has been around him feels that the chance that he comes back to play is minuscule, so you take that for what it’s worth […] all of those people that I spoke to said that it seems far more likely that he is done than that he is going to return”
If Rodgers decides to retire, this would be a massive blow for the Steelers in 2026. They will naturally enter a rebuilding period with longtime head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down. In his place, Mike McCarthy was hired; he was Rodgers’ coach with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018.
Rodgers had a solid season in 2025, based on the context. He finished the year with 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions, completing 65.7% of his throws. The Steelers had one of the league’s worst receiving groups, and he had a 71.4 grade in our PFSN QB Impact Metric, slotting at No. 29.
Picking at No. 21 in the 2026 draft, the Steelers won’t have many options to add young talent to the position. Fernando Mendoza is the clear No. 1 in the class, but there aren’t many more options after him. Will Howard and Mason Rudolph are under contract for 2026; neither is considered a long-term option.
Even if Rodgers isn’t in his prime, he provided solid quarterback play for most of the season, something that the Steelers lacked since Ben Roethlisberger retired. If he decides to retire, Pittsburgh will scramble for a quarterback for one more season, and the chances are they won’t find one to become the leader of the franchise.
