Aaron Rodgers is standing at the end of his 21-year-long NFL career. While he might have expected others to get emotional about his last-run narrative, he caught the flak from a Hall of Famer, Cris Carter.

“I saw Aaron play live, I think they played the Vikings in London, and that’s not the Aaron Rodgers I’ve been watching the last 20 years,” said the former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver on the Inside Football podcast on August 17. “He doesn’t have the same fire.

“He doesn’t have the same athleticism, because that’s what Aaron Rodgers, he presented a problem to the defense that I’m going to run.”

Taking the stats into account, last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the quarterback racked up 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns, a marginal dip from 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024 with New York. In that particular season, he traveled overseas to face off against the Vikings in London, the game Carter talks about, as he was in attendance.

In that 2024 game as a Jet, Rodgers completed 29 of 54 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, while he was sacked thrice. During the game, Rodgers took a hit on a third-down throw and struggled to get up after his leg was caught between two Minnesota defenders. He eventually limped to the sideline and entered the big blue medical tent without his helmet.

It was hard for Carter to believe that it was the same quarterback who was known for his smart mobility to create plays that few others can match.

Case in point: The Green Bay Packers’ 2016 NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys. With 12 seconds left on the clock, Rodgers delivered an iconic 36-yard sideline pass to tight end Jared Cook on third-and-20 when the score was tied 31-31. With a 51-yard kick by Mason Crosby to end that drive, the Packers won 34-31.

However, over the years, he has become less mobile. Both age and major lower-body injuries like his 2023 Achilles tear have affected his athleticism.

Last season, too, there were moments when Steelers fans might have thought the exact same thing that Carter tried to highlight. Against the Buffalo Bills, he completed only 10 of 21 attempts for 47.6% with zero touchdowns while losing a fumble that led directly to a Bills defensive touchdown. Before that, against the Los Angeles Chargers, he struggled badly, completing 16 of 31 for 161 yards and a passer rating of 50.6. Last season, he also fractured his left wrist, making the Steelers regret their decision.

After a tumultuous 2025 season, Rodgers had left Pittsburgh hanging without confirming whether he would retire or return. That time, Carter did not hesitate to slip a quarterback’s name as Rodgers’ replacement. 

“If Pittsburgh doesn’t decide with Aaron Rodgers, I believe they go for Kirk Cousins, which I believe is a better option,” Carter stated on his podcast. “I mean, Kirk Cousins is a good thrower of the football as you can get.”

However, Rodgers confirmed his return in May. It remains to be seen whether Rodgers can prove Carter wrong and show that the fire he displayed in Green Bay is still there.