Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers, 42, to ponder future after season - ESPN

PITTSBURGH - With a win-or-go-home regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't focused on his future beyond Week 18.

While he said Wednesday he hasn't "thought about" a return to Pittsburgh next season after his one-year deal expires, Rodgers did acknowledge the reality he'll face when the season comes to a close.

"I'm thinking about this week, but obviously I'm 42 years old, and I'm on a one-year deal," he said. "So you know what the situation is. Whenever the season ends, I'll be a free agent. So that'll give me a lot of options if I still want to play. I mean, not a lot of options, but there'll be options, I would think, maybe one or two if I decide I still want to play.

"I've enjoyed this experience, and everybody in Pittsburgh has been fantastic to me on and off the field. And it's really what I was hoping for this experience was, it's been even better than I was hoping."

After signing a one-year, $13.65 million contract with Pittsburgh in June, Rodgers told the Pat McAfee Show in an interview he was "pretty sure" the 2025 season would be his last.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is it," Rodgers said in June. "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.

"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 Mike Tomlin and a great group of leadership and great guys in the city that expects you to win."

Nearly sixth months since that interview, Rodgers praised Tomlin and expressed gratitude for the experience in Pittsburgh.

"You always think about the what if and the alternative timelines of your life," Rodgers said. "But if I hadn't taken this path, I never would have met so many guys in the locker room who I now call close friends and wouldn't have the experiences and the memories on the field wouldn't have been able to be in the room with Tom Arth again and [Matt Baker] Bake and be able to play for Arthur Smith and Mike Tomlin. And I feel like there would be a little hole in my life missing without having this chapter. So I'm thankful for this time."

The quarterback said he would speak with his wife when deciding on his next steps, but he kept his process vague. Rodgers, who recently said he felt like "Benjamin Button," added he hopes his decision is able to be about a desire to continue playing rather than a physical ability to stay on the field.

"I hope I can get through this stretch and feel good physically so that's not in the conversation," he said.

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Rodgers helped the Steelers to a 9-7 record and kept them in contention for an AFC North title. He's thrown for 3,028 yards with 23 touchdowns to seven interceptions and completed 65.6% of his attempts.

"At times, yeah, definitely," Rodgers said, asked if he'd played the kind of ball he wanted to play this season. "Anytime you're in a first-year offense, there's always some growing pains within the offense. It's always like you feel like, if you had another year, what you could do.

"... We've done the best we could with our conversations and our meeting time outside the facility and our meeting time in the facility. But obviously the more years you get in the system with the same guys, the more continuity you have, the better you feel like you can play."

The Steelers are partially in this do-or-die situation against Baltimore because of Rodgers' subpar performance playing without wide receiver DK Metcalf against Cleveland in Week 17. Rodgers completed just 53.8% of his attempts and threw for 168 yards. Rodgers has completed 55% or fewer attempts three other times this season and rebounded with improved performances each time.

"I don't have a lot of stinkers back-to-back over the years," Rodgers said. "So it's the same mindset every week, same approach. Just expect greatness. And when it doesn't happen, you don't shift up the plan. You just keep on going and trust the process."