Aaron Rodgers is quickly becoming the talk of the summer, as a major decision still looms: will he play for Pittsburgh, or retire altogether? The signs have been mixed, pointing in all directions, but ultimately, the final call rests with Rodgers himself.
Rodgers has been linked to the Steelers for quite some time, yet no official move has been made. However, recent reports suggest he may have given Pittsburgh a verbal commitment.
“I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he’s told [the Steelers], 'Listen, I'm gonna play for you. I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I'm pretty sure they're gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all,’” Ian O’Connor said.
Just a few days ago, Rodgers appeared to hint at joining the Steelers when he made a comment about a team playing in Chicago this season.
If Rodgers chooses retirement instead, he has expressed interest in doing so as a Green Bay Packer—if the organization is open to it.
“There’s a lot of love for me and how I feel about the team. If I do or I don’t [retire as a Packer], I don’t think it should make a difference, I’m not sure yet. If they approached me about it, I probably would,” Rodgers said.
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This marks a clear change of heart from a few years ago, when he didn’t see the point in retiring as a Packer. Now, he acknowledges it would be meaningful to end his career with the team where he spent the majority of it.
The only question is whether Green Bay would be willing to offer him a one-day contract to make it happen. Rodgers’ future remains uncertain, but if retirement is his path, he may very well go out as a Packer.