Aaron Rodgers just confirmed what Steelers fans feared (and Jets fans expected)

Rodgers already has one foot out the door.

Justin Fried

Former NY Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers / Joe Sargent/GettyImages

Aaron Rodgers just confirmed what New York Jets fans have been suspecting for months, and what Pittsburgh Steelers fans were desperately hoping to avoid. Rodgers is about ready to call it quits.

The 41-year-old quarterback said on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that the 2025 season is “very likely” his final one in the NFL. It’s really the first time Rodgers has publicly acknowledged that the end is near.

I'm pretty sure this is it,” Rodgers told McAfee. “That's why we just did a one-year deal.” While that may have caught some fans in Pittsburgh off guard, it’s hardly a surprise for Jets fans who watched his brief, disastrous tenure in New York unfold.

The Rodgers era in Florham Park will go down as one of the most disappointing eras in a long line of Jets disappointments. And now, just a few months into his Steelers tenure, Rodgers is already hinting at the exit.

Aaron Rodgers is already eyeing his Steelers exit

The Jets weren't willing to wait around for clarity. After an embarrassing 2024 season and months of uncertainty surrounding Rodgers’ future, the team made the obvious decision this offseason, releasing the four-time MVP.

The Jets will instead embark on a new era with head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey at the helm. The new regime had seen enough, not just from Rodgers’ on-field regression, but from the off-field distractions that followed his every step.

Instead, they signed Justin Fields to a two-year, prove-it deal and handed the keys to Glenn, whose early impact has already been felt throughout the organization.

Voluntary OTA attendance hit nearly 100%. Players have seemingly bought in. Whatever doubts the Jets may have still had about letting Rodgers go have quickly faded as the team embraced its new identity.

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Rodgers held the Steelers hostage for most of the offseason. It wasn't until earlier this month that the future Hall of Famer finally agreed to join the Steelers on a one-year deal.

Now, with training camp approaching next month, Rodgers has finally admitted what many suspected. He already has one foot out the door.

And while the Jets have already turned the page, the Steelers might just now be realizing they might be stuck with a washed-up ex-MVP who already appears to be eyeing the exit.

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Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.