Mike Tomlin is no longer the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that doesn’t mean he can’t weigh in on his former team and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. After another one-and-done appearance in the playoffs, Tomlin decided to step back from coaching and join the media world, and will make regular appearances on Sunday Night Football in the upcoming season. While it’s obviously too early for football, the Super Bowl champion head coach stopped by NBC Sports and spoke about his former team.
While the Steelers are embracing a new era with their first coaching change in forever, the biggest question is easily what will happen with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The four-time NFL MVP has yet to announce whether or not he’ll return for the 2026 season, but that didn’t stop Tomlin from making a prediction.
“I just think being around him for the 12 months that I was around him, he has a love affair with the game of football,” Tomlin said. “And not only the game, but the process…And certainly he is still capable, and in really good shape. So I think, at the end of the day, he’ll play football.”
Mike Tomlin Speaks on Steelers, Aaron Rodgers
Let’s start with the obvious disclaimer: this is a guess. While Mike Tomlin knows Aaron Rodgers better than most, at the end of the day, he is not Rodgers and cannot speak for him. Tomlin also makes it clear that he is making an educated guess based on his personal relationship with Rodgers but has not directly spoken with the quarterback regarding his immediate future.
With that disclaimer out of the way, it’s safe to say that everyone in Pittsburgh is hoping Tomlin is correct. Aaron Rodgers is not the all-time talent he used to be, but he’s easily the best option for this team. The quarterback had a decent year in 2025, as he guided the team to an AFC North title while completing 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
If Rodgers calls it a career, the Steelers will have no choice but to entrust their season to Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar. Rudolph is the definition of a journeyman, as the former third-round pick lacks the physical skills to be anything more than a short-term starter. Howard, meanwhile, had a successful college career but was a sixth-round pick just one season ago. He didn’t throw a single regular-season pass last year and is a complete unknown commodity.
Third-round pick Drew Allar, meanwhile, might have been a first-round pick had he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. However, the Penn State product had a rough final season at the collegiate level and demonstrated issues with arm strength and timing throughout the season. Perhaps better coaching can bring out the best in him, but he shouldn’t be starting as a rookie.
