Brett Favre weighs in on Aaron Rodgers' potential retirement decision in 2026

With just a few days left in the NFL season, most teams are already looking ahead to what’s next. One of the biggest questions in the coming months will be Aaron Rodgers’ future as a professional player, and his former teammate Brett Favre already has a formed opinion on the matter.

The question now centers on whether the quarterback will return for another year in the league or make the drastic decision to step away. Favre, who knows him well from their time in Green Bay, believes he should come back to Pittsburgh for at least one more season.

“Aaron still can play,” Favre said on his podcast. “It’s a matter of whether he wants to play and will someone take a chance on him. I think if he really wants to play, someone will take a chance on him. Maybe Pittsburgh. The relationship with he and [Mike] McCarthy certainly is intriguing.”

His stats from last season with the Steelers may be a clear sign that Rodgers still has a lot to give—especially with the arrival of McCarthy, with whom he won a Super Bowl—making a reunion in Steel City far from far-fetched.

Brett Favre with Aaron Rodgers.

McCarthy’s options

With Mike McCarthy now at the helm in Pittsburgh, the Steelers’ quarterback room is centered around veteran Mason Rudolph and the promising Will Howard, a 2025 sixth-round pick out of Ohio State.

see also

Aaron Rodgers passes Brett Favre in NFL all-time passing TDs: How many does he need to tie Tom Brady?

While McCarthy has expressed genuine excitement about developing Howard’s upside, the team is keeping all doors open; they are expected to evaluate mid-round prospects in the draft to add competition, while also monitoring free agency if Aaron Rodgers does not return.