Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a plan.
He'll be one-and-done in 2025.
But ... will be also be "won-and-done'' in terms of postseason success? Or maybe "two-'' or "three-and-done''?
Rodgers recently essentially left no doubt that 2025 will be final season playing professional football. At the end of his 21st season he'll be 42 years old and he hopes it all ends in glory.
"I’m pretty sure this is it," Rodgers said to ESPN's Pat McAfee. "That’s why we just did a one-year deal. The Steelers didn’t need to put any extra years."
Rodgers clearly would like to end on a high to bolster his legendary legacy. He has won a Super Bowl and four MVPs back in his Green Bay Packers days, but hasn't played at an elite standard since 2021 and in two failed seasons with the New York Jets suffered a season-ending injury and led a team that got its head coach and general manager fired after one month.
What sort of a "high''? The Steelers under coach Mike Tomlin, for all of their relative success, haven't won a playoff game since the 2016 season.
So, how about this year?
"No,'' said ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum, when he was asked on ‘Get Up’ on Friday if he thinks that Rodgers would lead the Steelers to their first postseason win in a decade. "He is going to be 42 in December, no offseason program. ... I just don’t see this working by the end of the season.”
It is worth noting that Tannenbaum, the former NFL GM, might have an agenda here as he retains employment links with the Jets. ... who would be perfectly happy if following their dumping of him, he flops.
But for now? The Steelers deserve room for optimism.
"This is really about finishing with a lot of fun and love and peace," Rodgers said. "I've played 20 freakin' years. It's been a long run and I've enjoyed it. No better way to finish than with one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL, with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers and a city that expects you to win."