Aaron Rodgers on 2025 season with Steelers: 'Pretty sure this is it'

Aaron Rodgers all but 100% confirmed the 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers will be his last in the NFL. He said he is “pretty sure this is it,” on Tuesday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show.

Rodgers signed a one-year deal with the Steelers following two years with the New York Jets. There was a lot of speculation whether or not he’d even play in 2025.

But, Rodgers will give himself one more year to enjoy football and go out on a high note, whatever that entails. In all likelihood, this will be the final fall of Rodgers.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is it,” Rodgers said. “You know, that’s why we just did a one year deal. The Steelers didn’t need to, you know, put any extra years on that or anything. So, you know, this was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had.

“I mean, I played 20 freaking years. It’s been long, a long run, and I’ve enjoyed it. And what better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL, with Mike Tomlin and great group of leadership and great guys in the city that you know expects, expects you to win.”

Rodgers finished the 2024 season with 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 63% completion percentage. Not too shabby considering the 5-12 record for New York last year.

But this final season wasn’t necessarily about finishing with a second Lombardi Trophy. Although winning another Super Bowl would be nice.

“I mean, I think it’s not, ‘I really can’t go out like this.’ It’s I love the game, and there’s been a beautiful relationship as my first love when I was six years old, dreaming about playing quarterback and, you know, being in a Super Bowl and winning the Super Bowl,” Rodgers said. “You know, I think I just I wanted to be all in, and I had so many other things going on in my life that were were taking my mind and my energy elsewhere, and that’s why I appreciated how Mike was the entire time. Just being able to to have those conversations, honest conversations, every single week was really meaningful to me and the way that I was welcomed in was was really cool.

“I wanted to be there for mini camp once, you know, I decided I was going to be all in. But I didn’t need this, you know, I didn’t need it at all. I don’t feel the need to prove anything to anybody or or don’t have any chip on my shoulder that I need to hold on to.”

Rodgers plans to go off into the sunset in some sort of fashion. So as he put it, you better enjoy him while you can because come 2026, at some point, you won’t hear or see him.

“I don’t want the attention,” Rodgers said. “I know that’s a narrative out there. When this is all done … you won’t see me. I won’t be in the public. I don’t want to live a public life. That’s why it’s so strange what’s going on right now with my private life. Because I don’t want to live a life in the public eye. I’m not going to be in in the public eye. When this is done, I’m done, and you won’t see me. And I’m looking forward to that, but while I’m in it, and for this year, I’m going to give the Steelers everything that I got, and empty the tank and and be be super comfortable and satisfied with whatever happens.”

Super Bowl LX would be a perfect way to go out. But Rodgers knows it’ll take time and effort to pull it off this season.

“Obviously, we dream about playing at the highest level in the biggest games, but the fact that I can come back to Pittsburgh, play for Mike, get to know the organization, be a part of a special franchise that’s had such incredible success, and be able to play and follow in the footsteps of the Terry Bradshaws and Franco Harris and Lynn Swann and Jack Lambert, you know, mean-Joe Green, and then all the guys that played in the 90s and the 2000s,” Rodgers said.

“You know, Jerome Bettis and Big Ben, you know, all time greats. And just to be a guy that can put on the same uniform is pretty special for me, and that’s all I need this year, is just to go out there, have a chance to compete. That’s why I’m working so hard because I want to put myself in a position to be able to play 20 games and 20 great ones.”