The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2026 campaign is going to be about both endings and beginnings. Pittsburgh has a new head coach in Mike McCarthy after Mike Tomlin stepped down from the role he held for 19 seasons. On the other hand, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is putting on the pads for what he is guaranteeing to be his last season in the league.
“I felt last year might be it, and then Mike got hired, and I talked to the wife, and she said, you can do one more year,” Rodgers said, via Steelers reporter Alan Saunders, before adding that there will be “zero debate” about coming back for another season after this one.
Aaron Rodgers on why he decided to make the 2026 season his last in the NFL:
“I felt last year might be it, and then Mike got hired, and I talked to the wife, and she said, you can do one more year.”
He added that he will have “zero debate” about deciding to step away after the…
— Alan Saunders (@ASaunders_PGH) July 28, 2026
Rodgers and McCarthy have already won a Super Bowl together as a coach-quarterback duo with the Green Bay Packers. Ironically, that title came against the same Steelers franchise both are now employed by.
Despite their familiarity, Rodgers still has to adjust to McCarthy’s way of running the team after playing for Tomlin last season. After Rodgers didn’t take a single preseason snap a year ago, he is now preparing to give it a go, even though he doesn’t necessarily want to.
“He (wants me out there for) 30 or 40 plays,” Rodgers said, via The Athletic’s Michael Silver. “I said, ‘Mike, if you want me to play, I’ll play.’ I’m not saying I want to do it. But if he wants me to, I will.”
It’ll be interesting to see how the reunion plays out on the field, as the pair work together to end Pittsburgh’s 10-year playoff win drought.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.