The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be in the news a lot with Aaron Rodgers being the team's starting quarterback for the 2025 season. The signing was expected for a long time, but it finally happened right after June got underway. The quarterback thought about some other destinations while also weighing the possibility of retirement, which is now all but a certainty after the 2025 season.
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Aaron Rodgers warms up before the New York Jets' preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It is no secret that Rodgers is on the tail end of his career, and many fans probably assumed that the 2025 season would be his last. He appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, and he was asked plenty of questions about the start of his time in Pittsburgh. He was also asked about the rest of his career, where he essentially confirmed that the 2025 season will be his last.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure this is it," Rodgers said. "That's why we just did a one-year deal. Steelers didn't need to put any extra years on that or anything."
This doesn't come as much of a surprise, but it is shocking to see Rodgers discuss retirement ahead of the season. Typically the quarterback is pretty secretive about his intentions and his future, but he basically came out and announced his intentions to retire following the season, and backed it up by stating that was part of the reason for signing a one-year deal in Pittsburgh.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the 2025 minicamp, Tuesday June 10, 2025.
Pittsburgh fans should be grateful that Rodgers announced his retirement so early; this way it is not a lingering question over the organization throughout the 2025 season. This limits distractions for the team over the course of the season, which is something that was a major concern for some members of the fan base in Pittsburgh.
Rodgers will look to end his career on top, especially after two disastrous seasons with the New York Jets. He gets to end his career with one of the most famous organizations in all of sports, and he doesn't want his Hall of Fame career to end on a bad note.
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Former New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers throwing a ball in pre game warmups before an away game.
The ideal end to Rodgers' career is hoisting another Lombardi Trophy. The idea of that is far-fetched, but Rodgers significantly raises Pittsburgh's ceiling. If the franchise can catch a couple lucky breaks, a deep playoff run is not out of the realm of possibility.
What do you think about Rodgers stating his intentions to retire after the 2025 season? Let us know in the comments below!
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