Do Steelers already have Aaron Rodgers reconsidering retirement plans?

In June, quarterback Aaron Rodgers revealed that one reason he agreed to a team-friendly contract to join the Pittsburgh Steelers was because he was "pretty sure" he would retire following the 2025 season. 

It sounds like Rodgers' teammates could already have him thinking twice about those plans. 

During the latest edition of the "Not Just Football with Cam Heyward" podcast, Pittsburgh wide receiver DK Metcalf suggested that Rodgers could "run it back" with the Steelers for the 2026 season. 

"Maybe," Rodgers responded, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. 

Numerous reports have detailed how Rodgers has impressed his teammates and coaches with how he hasn't been "too big for anyone" ever since he inked his contract. That said, it remains to be seen how Rodgers' body will respond when he starts taking hits in meaningful games.

Rodgers largely looked like a shell of his former self last season coming off the torn Achilles he suffered in September 2023. He also reportedly dealt with a serious hamstring issue, a nagging hip problem, injuries to both his knees and a low ankle sprain before he turned 41 in December 2024. 

Earlier this summer, Rodgers hinted that he wanted to finish his career "the right way" with Pittsburgh. He expanded on his mindset during the podcast. 

"I've had a 20-year career," Rodgers added. "I've had a lot of success, accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish. But I fell in love with this game when I was five years old. And I wanted to get that love back to where I felt like it should be in the twilight of my career." 

Signing Rodgers was a win-now move for a franchise that has lost five straight playoff games and that last notched a postseason victory in January 2017. If Rodgers turns the clock back and guides Pittsburgh on a memorable playoff journey, he could be asked to stick around as a bridge option at the position. 

One wonders how Metcalf and other Steelers players will view Rodgers after he faces the New York Jets, his former team, in Pittsburgh's regular-season opener on Sept. 7.