At age 41, Aaron Rodgers is nearing retirement — but he’s not 100% sure on when he’ll make the decision to end his NFL career.
While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, June 24, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback signaled that the upcoming season would likely be his last.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is it," Rodgers told McAfee. "That's why we just did a one-year deal. Steelers didn't need to put any extra years on that or anything, so this was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I've had.”
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Rodgers continued, “I played 20 fricking years. It's been a long run. I've enjoyed it, and no better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL with [coach] Mike Tomlin and a great group of leadership and great guys in the city that expects you to win."
The future Hall of Famer, who spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and two with the New York Jets, signed a one-year, $13.65 million contract with the Steelers on June 7, after months of rumors that he was courting the team.
During his first media availability with reporters three days later, the quarterback confirmed that the dark-colored band on his left ring finger is indeed a wedding ring, eventually revealing that he married a woman named Brittani.
While speaking to McAfee on Tuesday, Rodgers also pushed back on the criticism regarding his surprise marriage. "It's a sick society, isn't it?," he said, before detailing ways that he has felt his privacy has been invaded. "I didn't want any of that, didn't like any of that, and now I'm with somebody who's private [who] doesn't want to be in the public eye [and] didn't sign up to be a celebrity."
The signal-caller did, however, circle back about his “first love.”
"It's not really '[I] can't go out like this,' " he said. "I love the game, and there's been a beautiful relationship. It was my first love when I was 6 years old, dreaming about playing quarterback and being in the Super Bowl and winning in the Super Bowl. ... I wanted to be there for minicamp once I decided I was going to be all-in, but I didn't need this. I didn't need it at all. I don't feel the need to prove anything to anybody or don't have any chip on my shoulder. I don't want the attention.”
Rodgers concluded, "I'm going to give the Steelers everything that I got and empty the tank and be super comfortable and satisfied with whatever happens."
