Steelers' Old Roster Could Lead To A Disastrous First Season In The Mike McCarthy Era

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to trot out a completely different team in 2026 after going through a complete overhaul of the coaching staff. Mike McCarthy takes over a unit coming off a division title that ended up getting routed by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round. The organization's new leader is a Pittsburgh guy and is looking to bring back the meaning of the logo. 

Along with the new coaching staff, the team also made some free-agent and trade acquisitions, including Michael Pittman Jr., Jamel Dean, Rico Dowdle, and Jaquan Brisker. McCarthy brought over some fresh faces to a locker room that desperately needed it. Pittsburgh will have a new look in 2026; whether it's for better or worse is still to be determined. 

With the new look and offseason pickups, Pittsburgh is among the NFL's oldest rosters, with an average age of 27 years and 98 days. There are young guys, but the stars and some of the heavily relied-on players are older than ideal. The Steelers haven't had a losing season since 2003, but some in the media may pick the franchise to bottom out, which could lead to its first losing season in 23 years. 

Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr recently appeared on the show MMBQ with his colleague Albert Breer, and he picked Pittsburgh to finally lose steam. With many of the best players all on the wrong side of 30, Orr doesn't think the Steelers will be able to stay afloat. 

"I have the Steelers bottoming out just because some team needs to bottom out that surprises us every year," Orr said. "This is not an indictment of Mike McCarthy. It's just, okay, your best players are like 38, 43.

Aaron Rodgers is 42, will turn 43 in December, and has obvious age-related restrictions. Perhaps his biggest restriction is his unwillingness to hold on to the ball and potentially take a hit. Rodgers' mind is still very sharp, and his arm is still live, but if he repeats his antics last season, the offense is going to go anywhere. 

The defense is also on the older side, with TJ Watt and Cam Heyward being the leaders of the group. Both men are nearing the end of their primes and are not the players they once were. Heyward remains an elite defensive tackle, but his sack production has taken a huge hit, and his bull rush doesn't look as ferocious. Watt hasn't aged as gracefully as Heyward, as he has been easily neutralized in games and has clearly lost a step in his get-off. 

It's hard to win with older players; they typically fade toward the end of the season due to wear and tear. The Steelers roster is old in terms of average age, but a few players skew that number. 

The Steelers Aren't As Old As Fans Think

While the Steelers have one of the highest average ages in the NFL, they still have some very young groups on the team. The offensive line's oldest starter is Dylan Cook, who is 28 and could lose his spot early to rookie Max Iheanachor, who is 22. Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, and Troy Fautanu are the core of the group and are still no older than 26, setting them up for their prime years as a unit. 

The defensive line also has some older pieces but a young nucleus. Heyward and Sebastian Joseph-Day remain older veterans, but Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, and Keanu Benton will be the key players of the collective. 

Harmon and Black are expected to make leaps going into their second years, and Benton is coming off a career high in sacks. The Steelers may look old based on their average age, but many of the players they will rely on heavily are still young and in their primes. 

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