If the Pittsburgh Steelers lose the playoff showdown against the Baltimore Ravens, the quarterback’s career could be over. However, Aaron Rodgers has two exciting alternatives to ending his career.

The showdown will take place on Sunday night/Monday morning German time: The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens. The winner of the game secures the AFC North crown and the last remaining playoff spot, while the loser misses out on the postseason. The do-or-die game will be decisive for both teams’ season evaluations – and for the future of Aaron Rodgers’ career. The quarterback, now 42, has signed a one-year contract in “Steel City.”

If the Steelers lose, the game could be the last in “A-Rod’s” long NFL career.

Or maybe not. Because ending his career is only one of three options available to Rodgers in the very near future.

Rodgers’ options: retire, extend his contract, or test the market

In addition to the possibility of retiring from football, Rodgers could also enter into negotiations with the Steelers and add one or more seasons in Pittsburgh.

Or Rodgers could choose option number three and test the market once again as a free agent.

“I don’t want to think about it too much right now,” Rodgers said during a press conference on Wednesday: “Of course, I’ll talk to my wife about it. Then hopefully a decision will be made, but I’m not going to comment on it any further right now.”

Nevertheless, Rodgers hinted that he could definitely imagine a second year in Pittsburgh.

“I really enjoyed the experience here, everyone in Pittsburgh was fantastic, on and off the field. It’s really exactly what I hoped for from my time here. In fact, it was even better,” he said.

Tomlin’s fate could also depend on the Ravens game

He compared the Steelers’ current situation to that of his long-time team, the Green Bay Packers, when Matt LaFleur took over as head coach there in 2019.

“When I look at how I played in 2019 and then look at how I played in 2020, it was just a completely different level,” Rodgers said, recounting some of the adjustments made by the Packers during the offseason at that time.

Whether such an improvement could also be achieved in Pittsburgh will probably also depend on the outcome of the game against the Ravens. If the Steelers lose, even the end of head coach Mike Tomlin’s era cannot be ruled out. If the Steelers win and perform well in the playoffs, continuing to work with Rodgers could make sense for all sides.

Rodgers expects “one or two options” as a free agent

If this does not happen, Rodgers could move on and join a fourth team after the Packers, the New York Jets, and the Steelers. In a league where half of all teams are always looking for a quarterback, the veteran could be a good temporary solution – either as a mentor for a young team or as the missing piece of the puzzle for a contender.

“I have a one-year contract, so we all know what the situation is. When the season is over, I’ll be a free agent. That gives me options if I want to keep playing. Not many options, but there will be options. Maybe one or two if I decide I want to keep playing,” Rodgers said.

Which teams those might be is also completely open and will depend on how the playoffs go, whether quarterbacks get injured, or what happens in the draft in the spring.

Either way, the future of the eccentric playmaker is likely to be one of the big storylines in the NFL again this offseason.