Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a history of taking his time to decide his future in the NFL, and this year will be no different.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers made it clear that there’s no deadline for him to make a decision on signing a new contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers or retiring.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time with my wife, we went on a ski trip, been laying low. … I’ve talked to [Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy], I’ve talked to [general manager Omar Khan],” Rodgers said, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “There’s no deadline put in front of me, no contract offer to debate over.”
Rodgers let viewers know early in his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show that there wouldn’t be any breaking news coming on Wednesday.
“I want to say that anybody on here who’s expecting me to make a big decision, turn it off now,” he said.
When asked where things stand for him before the official start of free agency next week, Rodgers replied, “There hasn’t been any progressive conversations.”
After being released by the New York Jets last March, Rodgers took some time to himself before signing with the Steelers in June. In his 21st NFL season, he threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions while leading Pittsburgh to a 10-7 record and an AFC North title before losing in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
Rodgers said Wednesday that he “had a blast” in his first year with the Steelers. While he hasn’t made a decision on his future in Pittsburgh, he indicated that he’s staying ready for whatever comes his way.
“I’m trying to stay fit. It’s harder when you get older. You can’t take the same amount of time off that you used to. … Now, at 42, just to stay in shape, you’ve got to be dialed in on the diets and workouts if you want to look the right way,” he said.
It’s clear that Rodgers has something left in the tank, but it sounds like it will be a while before he decides on his status for the 2026 campaign.