Aaron Rodgers arrives in Paris with his final season in view

Aaron Rodgers’ “magnificent obsession” with football takes him to Paris, where the 42-year-old quarterback will lead the Steelers against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Stade de France. It will be the NFL’s first game in the French capital. Rodgers sees it as a special occasion, having said that this season will be the last of his career.

The phrase “magnificent obsession” took on an amusing twist during the interview: a book with that title sat on the shelf behind him. Rodgers noted the irony of the title given his attachment to the game. “To borrow a line from one of my favourite movies, ‘Obsession is a young man’s game,’” he said. He added: “The NFL is a young man’s game. I’m hanging on and enjoying this last one.”

The quarterback also spoke about the approaching end without suggesting he was anxious about what comes next. “I’ve given a lot to this game, and the game has given me a lot in return. I have zero qualms about this being the end, zero fears about what’s next. I’m just trying to live in the moment and enjoy this time with these guys,” he said. He then joked: “I think I’m on the 18th green!”

Rodgers said he planned to enjoy the next few days in Paris. “It’s fun to be part of the first. As you get older, you don’t get a lot of firsts. To be in the first game in Paris is special,” he said. He also summed up the occasion with an enigmatic line: “There’s definitely only one moment in France.” He said he was thankful for football and the places it had taken him, adding that his team had now played in many different countries. “That’s the beauty of the game: it keeps rolling. You’re here for a short time, so you’ve got to enjoy it. You never know when it’s going to be done,” he added.

This international outlook is part of a longer thread. Last year, Rodgers was a leading supporter of the Steelers’ appearance in Dublin. On an earlier visit to Paris, he recalled being surrounded by Packers fans after entering WOS Bar. The Steelers arrived in the French capital on Friday morning after an overnight flight from Pittsburgh; the Saints, the designated home team, had been in town since Monday.

This season, Rodgers has thrown for 1,487 yards and 12 touchdowns, with five interceptions, as Pittsburgh began 4-2. He has reunited with Mike McCarthy, his former Packers coach, following Mike Tomlin’s departure. McCarthy had previously worked with Rodgers in Green Bay, where they won a Super Bowl together. Sunday’s game is the immediate focus in Paris; for Rodgers, it is also part of an international journey he says he values, as his announced career finale draws near.