Aaron Rodgers has cemented his place as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, as the future Hall of Fame quarterback hinted the 2025 season may be his last. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback revealed his plans on “The Pat McAfee Show” this week, giving indicators he’ll only play one season in Pittsburgh before riding off into the sunset.
“This was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I’ve had,” Rodgers said. “I mean, I’ve played 20 frickin years, it’s been a long run and I’ve enjoyed it.”
Rodgers isn’t the first player to announce the next season he plays will be his last, but he’ll have an opportunity to have one of the best final seasons in NFL history. A few Hall of Fame players had great final seasons, choosing to walk away from the game on top of their game instead of hanging on for as long as they can. Some leave earlier than expected — for multiple reasons — while others don’t plan to retire until after their season is over.
No matter the circumstance, these are the five best final seasons in NFL history. Three of these players are Hall of Famers and the other two received strong consideration for the Hall of Fame when their career was over.
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Tyler Sullivan
5. Tiki Barber (2006)
Barber was one of the best running backs in the NFL at the time of his retirement, leading the league in yards from scrimmage in 2004 and 2005 — all while changing the way he carried the football to prevent the fumbles that plagued him earlier in his career.
Rushing for 1,662 yards in his final season — the second-highest of his career — at age 31, Barber averaged 5.1 yards per carry and made the Pro Bowl. He finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards and fifth in yards from scrimmage (2,127), his third straight season with 2,000 yards from scrimmage.
Barber certainly retired at the top of his game.
4. Sterling Sharpe (1994)
Sharpe was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL when he walked away from the game due to a career-ending neck injury after the 1994 season. The Green Bay Packers wide receiver led the NFL with 18 receiving touchdowns in 1994, a season which he had 94 catches for 1,119 yards (11.9 yards per catch).
Leaving the game at 29 years old and in the prime of his career, Sharpe was two seasons removed from the triple crown for pass catchers (leading the NFL in catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns) along with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Sharpe had 42 receiving touchdowns over his last three seasons.
3. John Elway (1998)
Not many quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era get to walk off into the sunset with a Super Bowl title. Elway did, the second straight Super Bowl to close out a Hall of Fame career.
A Pro Bowler in his final season, the Denver Broncos went 10-2 in Elway’s 12 starts, has he completed 59% of his passes for 2,806 yards with 22 touchdowns to 10 interceptions and a 93.0 passer rating. Elways finished fifth in the NFL in passer rating and fourth in yards per attempt (7.4).
A game manager for most of the season, Elway went 18 of 29 for 336 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a 99.2 passer rating in Super Bowl XXXIII — his final game.
2. Jim Brown (1965)
Brown had one of the best seasons of his career at age 29, the final one in one of the greatest careers in NFL history. Brown led the NFL in rushing yards (1,544), rushing yards per game (110.3), rushing touchdowns (17), yards from scrimmage (1,872), and scrimmage touchdowns (21) — all in a 14-game season.
Not only was Brown named a first-team All-Pro, he won the league MVP award. The 17 rushing touchdowns tied for the most in Brown’s Hall of Fame career, while the 21 scrimmage touchdowns were the most. Brown also had the second most rushing yards and yards from scrimmage in his Hall of Fame career.
The only accomplishment Brown didn’t get that season was the NFL championship, which he won in 1964 during his time with the Cleveland Browns.
1. Norm Van Brocklin (1960)
The best final season in NFL history belongs to Van Brocklin, who won the NFL championship and won the league’s MVP award in his final season in 1960 (the Associated Press didn’t hand out an MVP award but the UPI and NEA did).
Van Brocklin led the Philadelphia Eagles to the NFL title, handing Vince Lombardi the only loss of his playoff career. He completed 53.9% of his passes for 2,471 yards with 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions at the age of 34 — earning first-team All-Pro honors. Van Brocklin finished second in the NFL in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and passing touchdowns (86.5) — the catalyst to the Eagles’ surprising season.
Van Brocklin threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Tommy McDonald in his final game, going 9 of 20 for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also led the Eagles to the game-winning drive over the Packers late in the fourth quarter to win the championship.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
June 25, 2025 | 10:10 am
