A surprising report from Wednesday suggested that it is “far more likely” that 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers will retire at some point this offseason than it is that Rodgers will eventually agree to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers to serve as their starting quarterback for another campaign.
During Thursday’s edition of the ESPN “Get Up” program, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler said without saying out loud that Rodgers is essentially down to two choices as he considers his options for 2026.
Aaron Rodgers, Steelers saga could drag on beyond start of the new league year
“I just checked on this,” Fowler explained, per Chris Ward of Steelers Now. “The Steelers remain open to a potential Aaron Rodgers reunion, but they gotta figure it out if he wants to play or not yet. That could take months.”
Last offseason, Rodgers remained an unsigned free agent until June before he officially put pen to paper on his one-year Steelers deal. That said, the perception exists that the future Hall of Famer basically had a handshake agreement worked out with then-Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin regarding the 2025 season. Meanwhile, a previous story noted that the Steelers want Rodgers back and are “in no hurry” to force him into confirming his plans.
What timeline likely means for Aaron Rodgers’ future
Some have linked Rodgers with the Minnesota Vikings due to his relationship with Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell and because Rodgers flirted with joining the Vikings last offseason. However, an update from this week indicated that O’Connell is ready to embrace a homecoming involving current Atlanta Falcons signal-caller Kirk Cousins whenever Cousins becomes available.
Barring a surprising development, it seems unlikely that quarterback-needy teams such as the Vikings, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals (Rodgers almost certainly wouldn’t return to the New York Jets) would wait for “months” to learn if the version of what Rodgers was this past January will commit to playing.
One wonders if those running the Steelers could have second thoughts about waiting Rodgers out if a to-be-available quarterback such as Cousins or Malik Willis of the Green Bay Packers shows interest in signing with the AFC North club early in March.
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