On Wednesday, Aaron Rodgers, the four-time NFL MVP, confirmed his last season in the NFL will be 2026 during a press conference in Pittsburgh.

The 42-year-old quarterback signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the 2025 campaign and is returning for a second season with the team. This marks his 22nd NFL season—a remarkable journey for the player drafted 24th overall by the Green Bay Packers in 2005.

Rodgers’ decision followed reflection after the Steelers’ playoff loss in January and coaching changes, though Pittsburgh’s hiring of Mike McCarthy, his former Green Bay coach, directly influenced his return for one final season. When asked if this would be his last year, Rodgers stated: “This is it.”

Rodgers won Super Bowl XLV with the Packers following the 2010 season and earned MVP honors four times but has yet to win a second championship. The Steelers confirmed he signed a one-year contract for the 2026 season, making it his second stint in Pittsburgh. This arrangement reunites Rodgers with McCarthy, who guided him through his prime years with the Packers.

Rodgers’ return concludes a career arc that included time with the New York Jets, where he suffered a torn Achilles injury during his 2023 debut. The announcement ends years of uncertainty for Steelers fans and marks one of modern football’s most debated quarterbacks naming a specific retirement endpoint.