Aaron Rodgers’ season with the Steelers came to a screeching halt on Monday, as Pittsburgh was bounced from the playoffs and the quarterback had a rough night.
The Steelers fell to the Texans 30-6 in the final wild-card game of the 2026 postseason, sending Rodgers into the offseason, presumptively to face questions about whether or not he’s played his final NFL game.
The game marked the Texans’ first road playoff win in franchise history and marked the seventh straight playoff loss for the Steelers, dating back tothe 2016 AFC Championship Game.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud completed 21 passes for 25 yards, a touchdown and one interception.
Rodgers, who was under constant pressure all night, completed 17 passes for 146 yards and no touchdowns, while being sacked four times for a loss of 36 total yards at Acrisure Stadium.
It was a fourth-quarter sack and fumble, with a little under 11:30 left in the game, that essentially sealed the Steelers’ fate.
Rodgers had dropped back for a pass on third-and-12 when the pocket collapsed on him. A pair of Texans linemen converged on him for a sack, but the ball had also come loose and Sheldon Rankins scooped it up for a 33-yard touchdown.
The touchdown had put the Texans up 17-6.
Rodgers’ interception with 2:39 left in the game allowed Calen Bullock to run it back for a 50-yard touchdown to extend Houston’s lead to 30-6.
That could be the last pass of Rodgers’ NFL career.
Rodgers told reporters after the game that the loss wouldn’t impact the decision-making for his future.
“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said. “I’m disappointed. Obviously, such a fun year. A lot of adversity, but a lot of fun. Been a great year, overall, in my life the last year. And this is a really good part of that, coming here and being a part of this team. It’s disappointing to be sitting here with the season over.”
With the Steelers’ season over, the focus will be on what Rodgers will do next year. Rodgers declined to address whether he would want to stay in Pittsburgh if he comes back next season.
The veteran QB said that he would “get away” and “then have the right conversations” in order to help decide whether or not he will play football again next season.
“Every game could be my final game,” Rodgers said when asked if he had thought about Monday being his final game.
The future Hall of Famer had previously said that this would likely be his last season, but more recently, the door seems to be more open for a return to the NFL for 2026.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said over the weekend that the Steelers are open to the idea of Rodgers returning to the Steel City next season, though they are “hoping to get an answer sooner than later, like they did last offseason.”
Rodgers has spoken highly of his time in Pittsburgh, telling reporters earlier this month that “I’ve enjoyed this experience, and everybody in Pittsburgh has been fantastic to me on and off the field.”
During the broadcast, Troy Aikman said that he believed it was Rodgers’ last game.
