Watch Peyton Manning react to Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers pick-6 vs. Texans

The final moments of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season may also have delivered one of the most haunting “what if” scenes of the NFL playoffs, and Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning’s live reaction captured it perfectly.

Late in Pittsburgh’s 30-6 Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans, Aaron Rodgers dropped back trailing by 18 points with under three minutes remaining. What followed was an interception thrown directly to Texans safety Calen Bullock, who returned it 50 yards for a pick-six,  potentially the final pass of Rodgers’ storied career.

Watching live on the ESPN Manning Cast, Peyton Manning couldn’t help but say what many were thinking. “Is that the last pass of Aaron Rodgers career, Eli?” said Peyton Manning, via SportsCenter.

The moment lingered in silence before Eli Manning asked his brother, “What do you think, is he coming back for another year?” Peyton’s response was blunt, doubling down on the same concern. “I have no idea.”

"Is that the last pass of Aaron Rodgers career?"

—Peyton Manning after Calen Bullock's pick-six @OmahaProd pic.twitter.com/m1SLJG7Ofn

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 13, 2026

Rodgers, now 42, finished the night 17-of-33 for 146 yards with one interception as the Steelers failed to score a touchdown. The loss was decisive, but the interception returned for a score is what made the moment feel final.

If this truly was Rodgers’ last NFL throw, it would be a painful way for a first-ballot Hall of Famer to exit. Rodgers ranks fourth all-time in passing touchdowns with 527 recorded TDs and fifth in passing yards (66,274), while his four MVP awards trail only Peyton Manning’s five. His legacy is unquestioned — even if the ending is uncomfortable.

This season, Rodgers had reason to believe there might be more football ahead. He threw for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns, guiding Pittsburgh to a 10-win season and its first AFC North title in five years. That success reportedly had Rodgers reconsidering retirement before the postseason collapse.

Bullock’s interception immediately entered the record books, with the play now likely to be remembered as the final touchdown pass of Aaron Rodgers’ career, if this lingering “what if” only becomes the reality.

Shortly afterward, Mason Rudolph stepped in to close out the game, a sequence that not only ended Rodgers’ night but may have also marked the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh. The NFL social media even released a video of Rodgers on X, formerly Twitter, walking off the field and into the tunnel, a quiet visual that felt heavier than words. While, Troy Aikman in the background summed it up for the viewers, saying, “it was a tough night.”

Legend @aaronrodgers12 pic.twitter.com/CQtywiRcF5

— NFL (@NFL) January 13, 2026

Whether Rodgers returns for another season or not, the ending now hangs unresolved. And as Peyton Manning’s reaction showed, even the game’s greatest quarterbacks know when a moment feels different.

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