Troy Aikman and Joe Buck discuss the future of Aaron Rodgers on the Monday Night Postgame with Scott Van Pelt after the Texans-Steelers AFC Wild Card NFL playoff game. Photo Credit: ESPN Photo Credit: ESPN
By Matt Clapp on

The Pittsburgh Steelers were blown out 30-6 by the Houston Texans in an AFC Wild Card round game that was close until it completely unraveled for Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh in the fourth quarter on Monday night. It’s a tough way to go out for one of the top quarterbacks of all time if that’s the final game of his illustrious NFL career.

ESPN color commentator Troy Aikman thinks it really is this time.

“Well, I think we are watching Aaron Rodgers’ last game,” Aikman said late in the fourth quarter. “And what we saw of Philip Rivers this year, when he came out and decided to come out of retirement and play for the (Indianapolis) Colts, who knows what next year might bring. [Rodgers] might be willing to come in at some point if a team needs a quarterback. I doubt that will happen. I don’t imagine he’s going to say he wants to come back and sign with the Steelers again or with another team.”

Aikman may be just guessing like the rest of us are, and while we’ve all learned that you never really know with Rodgers, it has felt like there’s a strong chance the 42-year-old finally calls it a career. But Aikman is usually careful to make such statements, and it’s possible the Hall of Fame quarterback heard such words directly from the future Hall of Famer, or from someone close to Rodgers.

He could also just be going off what Rodgers told the ESPN crew in recent production meetings.

Lisa Salters explained how Rodgers told the ESPN crew that he would “probably” retire when they asked him about it in Week 15, and he told them, “This feels like the end.”

“We asked him a few weeks ago when we were here in Week 15, we asked him, ‘Is this it?’ Salters explained. “And he said, ‘Probably.’ He said that what he’s been saying all year. He said the team has been great. He doesn’t know what the Steelers’ plans are for the future. But he said for him, it feels like this is the end. He said it’s been a really fun year. At that time, he just wanted to go on a run and make the playoffs. That did happen. But he said, ‘I feel really good about what’s happened this year. That’s what I’ve been saying all year. This feels like the end.'”

Additionally, Aikman and play-by-play announcer Joe Buck appeared on SportsCenter with SVP after the game to share more thoughts on Rodgers’ future and reflect on his career.

“As far as how you rank him and all that, the numbers speak for themselves and what he’s been able to accomplish,” Aikman told Scott Van Pelt. “I never imagined, to be honest with you, that Aaron Rodgers would play into his 40s. And I’m not so sure that he did either. It’s hard to believe if you go back to 2010, when he won his Super Bowl, that would be the only Super Bowl he would get to play in. And also, that’s the last time the Pittsburgh Steelers made the Super Bowl as well. I mean, that was a long time ago. But it just kind of tells you that you really can’t count on anything, as young as those teams were, and as young as Mike Tomlin was, and Aaron Rodgers.”

“And this is a disappointing end to what has been a great career, but the end usually doesn’t happen the way you want it to,” Aikman continued. “John Elway is one of the few. But he had a great career, and he’s among the tops for sure.”

Buck followed with some more thoughts to close out the conversation.

“And I think just to wrap up with Aaron, I mean, it hasn’t been without controversy off the field,” Buck said. “On the field, he’s been sensational to watch and been a total professional. Off the field, he is himself. And for some people, they get rubbed the wrong way, but he’s kind of always been there, willing to say how he feels. He’s interesting. And I think in a day and age where professional athletes kind of retreat to the old clichés, he’s been an interesting guy to follow. He’s always been very open and honest with us. He’s been a joy to watch, and this game will miss him if this is the end.”

Rodgers completed 17-of-33 passes for 146 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception that was returned for a Houston touchdown in the loss. He was also sacked four times, one of which led to a fumble that was also returned for a Texans touchdown. During the regular season, Rodgers threw 24 touchdown passes, seven interceptions, and put together a 94.8 passer rating (his 102.2 career passer rating is the highest in NFL history).

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.

He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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