The amount of decisions that will have to be made in the coming months by the Pittsburgh Steelers' brass will be a lot more than normal. The first step to the 2026 offseason will be hiring a new head coach, something that hasn't occurred since 2007. Mike Tomlin had an incredible career in the Steel City, but he believed that it was time to walk away from the organization that gave him the chance of a lifetime nearly two decades ago. Aside from the coaching staff, a lot of roster restructuring may need to take place, and the team doesn't have a current plan at quarterback.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The door hasn't officially been shut on Aaron Rodgers returning, but it is also very possible that the veteran hangs up his cleats. If he does, it would leave Mason Rudolph and Will Howard left on the depth chart, with a third addition likely coming in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft. It's possible that the trio is reunited in the upcoming season, but that would only be if Rodgers felt as if he had one more season left in him.
Howard never truly got an opportunity to prove himself throughout his rookie year. He would have had the chance in the preseason, but suffered a hand injury that didn't allow him to participate in any exhibition contests. Fans are holding out hope that he still may be a diamond in the rough; however, it will take some time to truly figure that out.
On Tuesday's episode of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the team's legendary quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, communicated that he thinks the franchise would be better off if Rodgers returned. Moving into his depth chart setup, Roethlisberger completely left Rudolph out of the picture. The Super Bowl champion was solely focused on Howard.
"I have no problem with Aaron coming back and helping Will Howard for another year," Roethlisberger said. "If Will stays healthy, he's your number two [quarterback]. He might get some reps in — he'll get all of the reps in the preseason. He'll get lots of reps in practice."
At this point, it does make sense to let Howard work in as the second option — if Rodgers did indeed return. Pittsburgh knows what it has in Rudolph, but the young sixth-round selection from 2025 could have some tricks up his sleeve. It was interesting for Roethlisberger to leave his former teammate and backup in Rudolph out of the picture completely, specifically because the veteran has another year left on his deal.
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Steelers center Zach Frazier stands alongside and speaks with backup quarterback Mason Rudolph as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
It's clear that Rodgers' decision will hinge on who the team hires as its next head coach. There are some theories out there as to why Mike McCarthy has become such a relevant name in the discussion, and it could be because of his long-term relationship with the 42-year-old signal-caller. Regardless, it makes sense for Howard to be the backup in 2026 if Rodgers does indeed come back for one more chance at a postseason run.
The interesting scenario will be if Howard and Rudolph return without Rodgers. Will the new coaching staff bring in a third-string to sit back and watch the two compete for the starting job? Or will a drastic move be made to give neither of them a chance to be under center on game days? One thing is for sure, and that is the fact that Roethlisberger is much more focused on Howard than he is Rudolph.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers quarterback Will Howard gets ready to unleash a pass as he runs through a drill as the team works out during the annual Friday Night Lights practice in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Can't Continue To Push Off The Future At Quarterback
Rodgers was a great name to bring in for the 2025 campaign. His pedigree and leadership style clearly made a difference within the locker room. However, the team still didn't win a playoff game. Rebuilding is not a term that is ever used in the Steel City when it comes to football, but there definitely needs to be some kind of reset. That starts with a new voice as the head coach, but then immediately trickles down to the quarterback position.
Do you think that the Steelers will keep Rudolph around for the second and final year of his deal? Let us know in the comments below!
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