Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin retires after 19 years
Chris Bumbaka and Prince Grimes are reacting to the end of Mike Tomlin’s 19-season tenure as Steelers head coach.
Mike Tomlin’s decision to resign could be the first of several major offseason changes for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A day after Tomlin elected to end his 19-year tenure as the franchise’s coach, Steelers president Art Rooney II said he does not believe quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return to the team in 2026.
“Aaron came here to play for Mike,” Rooney said in a press conference. “So I think that’s likely to influence his decision.”
Rodgers, 42, signed a one-year deal with the Steelers in June and cited Tomlin as a driving force behind his decision to affiliate with the team after a tumultuous two years with the New York Jets. The four-time NFL MVP said shortly after signing the contract that he was “pretty sure” 2025 would be his last season, but left open the possibility he could continue playing, whether in Pittsburgh or elsewhere, in late December.
“I’m thinking about this week, but obviously I’m 42 years old and I’m on a one-year contract,” Rodgers said. “You know the situation. Once the season is over, I’ll be a free agent. So if I still want to play, I’ll have a lot of options. I mean, there won’t be a lot of options, but I’ll have options. If I decide I still want to play, there’ll probably be one or two.”
After Monday’s season-ending wild-card loss to the Houston Texans, Rodgers said he would take time to weigh the decision between retiring and returning for a 22nd season.
“I’m not going to make an emotional decision at this point,” Rodgers said. “It’s been a really fun year. There’s been a lot of adversity, but it’s been a lot of fun. Last year was an overall great year of my life, and being able to come here and be a part of this team was a really good part of it. So it’s a shame to be sitting here with the season over.”
The Steelers currently have Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard as the only quarterbacks under contract with the team.
