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Aaron Rodgers postponed retirement by a year due to GM Omar Khan's key decision
Aaron Rodgers said he nearly left Pittsburgh after Mike Tomlin’s exit, but Omar Khan hiring Mike McCarthy convinced him to return for one final season.
Aaron Rodgers has finally opened up on what went on behind the scenes as his team and the Pittsburgh Steelers negotiated the one-year deal Rodgers signed on Tuesday. Rodgers addressed a presser on Wednesday where he confirmed that he is going to retire after the 2025-26 NFL season.
But Rodgers had made a similar claim after signing the first one-year deal with the Steelers last year. So, what prompted him to return for one more season? Rodgers opened up on it and revealed that it was a decision taken by Steelers General Manager Omar Khan that convinced him.
Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday that he thought his time at Pittsburgh - and possibly his career - was over when Mike Tomlin left as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this year. But the decision of Omar Khan to hire Mike McCarthy as the next coach changed his mind
It triggered positive talks and the eventual signing of the 1-year contract that he signed with Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Also read: Tom Brady's retirement advice to Aaron Rodgers might come in handy: ‘Its hard to give up’
"I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh," Rodgers said, about how he felt after Tomlin's departure. "But when the decision was made to hire Mike, I started opening my mind back up to coming back."
Rodgers, notably, was asked twice at the presser whether the upcoming season with the Steelers would be his last in the NFL. "Yes. It is," he said, both times.
Aaron Rodgers Behind Mike McCarthy Decision?
The veteran QB also revealed that not only did he decide to keep playing for another year because of Mike McCarthy, but the Steelers' decision to hire the 62-year-old was influenced by him.
Rodgers revealed at the presser that he had recommended Mike McCarthy to the Steelers' authorities. It is unclear whether Rodgers's influence was the final word in Mike McCarthy's hiring, but it surely was a big influence.
Also read: Aaron Rodgers' wife Brittani could be behind his retirement decision. What Steelers QB said
ESPN Steelers reported Brooke Pryor reported that Rogers said he suggested McCarthy to Omar Khan "just as someone with an outside perspective." He also noted that it feels "surreal" to be back with Mike McCarthy.
Rodgers was a key feature of the Steelers' playoff push in the 2025 season. He started in 16 games and finished the season with a 94.8 passer rating. He passed for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
