The Pittsburgh Steelers were unable to get over the playoff win hump, as falling to the Houston Texans 30-6 ended their 2025-2026 season. Former head coach, Mike Tomlin quickly stepped down from his position following the loss, and now the Steelers are set for significant turnover throughout the 2026 offseason. Many within Steeler Nation have been waiting for this change to happen, but seeing how it all unfolds has everyone anxiously waiting for the next shoe to drop.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin speaks to members of the media after a brutal loss.
An in-depth search for the team's next head coach is likely going to garner all of the attention in the coming weeks, as it should. However, there is just as big of a question looming in the background that will need to be answered as well. Who will be the Steelers' starting quarterback in 2026? Will Aaron Rodgers consider returning for another season, despite Tomlin leaving? Do the Steelers look to the 2026 NFL Draft to find a potential long-term option? Or will the Steelers look to add another veteran stopgap like they've done in recent years?
Steelers Owner Art Rooney II held a press conference this week to discuss Tomlin and the team's roster. During the press conference, Rooney admitted that Tomlin stepping down will likely have an impact on the Rodgers' decision to return to the Steelers, or football in general, for the 2026 season. Rooney isn't the only one who believes Tomlin's decision will have an impact on Rodgers' future, however. Steelers great quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesn't believe Rodgers will return to the Steelers, as he spoke on that potential in an urgent episode of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger following the Tomlin news.
"I really felt deep down in my heart of hearts, I said that I think Aaron will come back," Roethlisberger admitted. "Now that Coach is gone, I don't believe Aaron will come back, I really don't. I don't think he'll want to, and I said this, I don't think he'll want to start over with a new system."
That thought process from Roethlisberger was one that was likely a popular one among both fans and people around the league. If the Steelers were to break their playoff win drought and start to make a run deeper into the playoffs, many thought Tomlin and Rodgers might want to run it back one last time. That will not be the case.
Roethlisberger did go onto mention that if the Steelers were to go out and find a coach that will implement a system Rodgers is familiar with, that there is always a chance Rodgers would consider coming back. That would be a short sighted approach as Rodgers likely has one year at best left in the tank at this point.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after a brutal loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round.
Moving forward it is likely that a lot of the coaching staff will turnover, who takes the first snap under center in 2026 will change yet again, and the rest of the roster will likely have a lot of new faces as well. This is a rare time for Steelers fans, as this is only the second time this change has happened this millennia. Last time the quarterback position wasn't being turned over with it, making this offseason twice as important.
Steelers' Head Coaching Hire Will Certainly Be Outside The Organization
In recent history, there has been a lot of hires and promotions from within the organization when there was a coaching vacancy. That wasn't the case the last time the Steelers needed a head coach however, and that is very unlikely to be the case this time. Rooney spoke on the coaching search during his press conference, and he made it clear that he didn't believe anyone currently on the staff would be a candidate for the head coach position.
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Steelers President and Owner Art Rooney II walks on the field as his team prepares and warms up prior to participating in a professional football game in Pittsburgh, PA.
That is unfortunate news for coordinators Arthur Smith and Teryl Austin, as both are likely to be coaching elsewhere in 2026 should someone from outside the organization take on the job.
Do you think Rodgers would even consider returning to Pittsburgh despite Tomlin stepping down as head coach? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share all of your Steelers takes with me on X @matt_papiernik and follow me.
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