Every great career eventually reaches its final act, and for Aaron Rodgers, that moment is on its way after the 2026 season. But before the curtain falls, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has one more shot at etching his name deeper into NFL history. With an exclusive quarterback milestone within reach, Rodgers’ final year could be about much more than one final season.

Aaron Rodgers started his NFL career in 2005. And by 2025, the 42-year-old signal-caller racked up 66,274 passing yards in 264 regular-season games. So, if Rodgers threw for at least 3,726 yards in the upcoming season, he could find himself in an exclusive NFL club of quarterbacks who have crossed the 70,000 passing yards mark in their career.

Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Brett Favre stand as the only four NFL quarterbacks to achieve those numbers in their careers. Brady, representing the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is at No. 1 with 89,214 passing yards under his name, which also stands as an NFL record. Meanwhile, Brees (San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints) is at No. 2 after throwing for 80,358 yards.

However, Brady and Brees weren’t the first ones to break into the exclusive NFL company. Favre (Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings) became the founding member of the club in 2010 and finished with 71,838 passing yards by the end of his career. Then, Manning (Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos) joined the list in 2015 and wrapped up his career with 71,940 passing yards under his belt.

So, is there a chance for Aaron Rodgers to join this elite NFL club as well? Despite age concerns, Rodgers has played the majority of the games in the last two seasons. For the Jets, in the 2024 season, he threw for 3,897 yards, and then for the Steelers in the 2025 season, 3,322 was his number. Even considering the average of the previous two years, Rodgers can at least record 3,609 passing yards comfortably under his name.

But for him to join Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, and Peyton Manning, the 42-year-old signal caller has to throw for at least 3,726 yards. However, Rodgers’ fitness for the 2026 season and other possible barriers will also come into question once the season begins. But as of now, there seems to be positivity around his NFL retirement season.

Aaron Rodgers invites teammates for “bonding” ahead of “last rodeo”

After 21 seasons in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers has seemingly made up his mind about retirement. During the Pittsburgh Steelers’ OTAs in May, the 42-year-old quarterback directly told reporters, “This is it,” leaving no ambiguity. So, this also makes the 2026 season very crucial for Rodgers and the Steelers.

Pittsburgh’s 2025 season ended in a bitter disappointment in the wildcard playoffs against the Texans (6-30). However, amid that, they also clinched their first AFC North title since 2021, which stands as a positive and would provide the team with something to build upon. Rodgers & Co. contributed equally to the team’s success. But for the 2026 season, they would hope for a better outcome.

However, before the upcoming season, Rodgers hosted a team-bonding week with several of his offensive playmakers. On July 12, the Steelers QB shared a series of photos on Instagram detailing an exclusive summer retreat. He captioned the post, “Last Rodeo. #bondingweek,” while setting the photo carousel to George Strait’s song “Troubadour”.

WR DK Metcalf, WR Michael Pittman Jr. (newly acquired this offseason), WR Roman Wilson, WR Ben Skowronek, TE Pat Freiermuth, and QB Mason Rudolph were all part of Rodgers’ team bonding outing, where a few of them were also seen horseback riding and paddleboarding. In one of the more unusual and viral moments of the trip, Pittman Jr. and Skowronek were pictured dressed up in full beekeeper outfits.

As it seems, the Steelers locker room is all in a jolly mood ahead of the 2026 season. But how will it translate to their performance on the gridiron? Only time will tell. But all in all, Rodgers could retire with yet another standout milestone under his name.