Aaron Rodgers’ career, the legendary quarterback who made history in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, may have come to an end with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ elimination by the Houston Texans last Monday. Rodgers, who is 42 years old and signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh this season, will now have the offseason to reflect on his next step.
Playoff Shutout Highlights the Limits of Aaron Rodgers’ Late-Career Ceiling
Naturally, the expectation is that Rodgers will not return, as his most recent offseason was already filled with uncertainty before he ultimately signed with the franchise. For analyst Stephen A. Smith, this is not a particularly difficult decision when looking at Rodgers’ last few years in the league, and it may be time for him to hang up his cleats.
The last few years of Rodgers’ NFL career have been a shadow of what he once was. Even while still productive, throwing 52 touchdowns combined over the past two seasons with just 18 interceptions, it became clear that there is a ceiling to how far an offense can go with the veteran, and Houston’s defense exposed that.
Allowing just 168 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception, Rodgers watched his team get eliminated without scoring a single touchdown against one of the NFL’s best defenses, extremely physical and full of energy. Smith argued on “First Take” that this is the moment for Rodgers to walk away from football.
“I think it’s time.”@stephenasmith on if Aaron Rodgers should retire after the Steelers’ Wild Card loss to the Texans 🏈 pic.twitter.com/qoTf0EaOLL
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 13, 2026
“Clearly his best days are behind him. And so when you look at it from that standpoint, he’s had a respectable season,” Smith said. “And it’s not going to get any easier. I think it’s time. You can walk away from the game, still hold your head up high, and look forward to being inducted into Canton in five years, and call it a day.”
Rodgers ranked just 29th among quarterbacks in the PFSN QBi in 2025, and Pittsburgh’s offense fell short in several areas throughout the season. Even with a lack of playmakers beyond Rodgers and DK Metcalf, it is hard to imagine things improving by returning for another season at age 42.
“You’re on a team, and we’ll get into Tomlin a little bit later, but you’re on a team that’s mediocre. They’re not awful, and they’re not great. They’re stuck in the middle. So what you saw is basically emblematic of anything that you’ll likely see in the foreseeable future,” Smith said.
For next season, the Steelers will have to evaluate what is worth keeping and whether it is time to embrace a deeper rebuild, even if that means parting ways with head coach Mike Tomlin, who has been with the team since 2007. It is a time for change for the franchise, and likely the end of Rodgers’ NFL career.
