Steelers president: Mike Tomlin stepping down likely affects Aaron Rodgers' plan Michael MiddlehurstSchwartz, USA TODAYJanuary 15, 2026 at 1:53 AM 5 Steelers president: Mike Tomlin stepping down likely affects Aaron Rodgers' plan Mike Tomlin's decision to step down might be the first of several major offseason changes for the Pittsburgh Steelers. One day after Tomlin opted to end his 19year run as the franchise's coach, Steelers president Art Rooney II indicated that he believes quarterback Aaron Rodgers won't be back with the team in 2026.
- - Steelers president: Mike Tomlin stepping down likely affects Aaron Rodgers' plan
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAYJanuary 15, 2026 at 1:53 AM
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Steelers president: Mike Tomlin stepping down likely affects Aaron Rodgers' plan
Mike Tomlin's decision to step down might be the first of several major offseason changes for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One day after Tomlin opted to end his 19-year run as the franchise's coach, Steelers president Art Rooney II indicated that he believes quarterback Aaron Rodgers won't be back with the team in 2026.
"Aaron came here to play for Mike," Rooney said in a news conference. "So I think it will most likely affect his decision."
Rodgers, 42, signed a one-year contract with the Steelers in June, citing Tomlin as a driving factor in his decision to link up with the team after a tumultuous two-year run with the New York Jets. The four-time NFL MVP said shortly after reaching his contract that he was "pretty sure" that 2025 would be his final season, but in late December he left open the possibility of playing on – whether in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.
2007: 10-6, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2007: 10-6, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/KV72fS4 class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2007: 10-6, reached playoffs
">2007: 10-6, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/KV72fS4 class=caas-img>2008: 12-4, won Super Bowl 43
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2008: 12-4, won Super Bowl 43
" data-src=https://ift.tt/JA9b1r2 class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2008: 12-4, won Super Bowl 43
">2008: 12-4, won Super Bowl 43
" src=https://ift.tt/JA9b1r2 class=caas-img>2009: 9-7
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2009: 9-7
" data-src=https://ift.tt/dNyDXTv class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2009: 9-7
">2009: 9-7
" src=https://ift.tt/dNyDXTv class=caas-img>2010: 12-4, reached Super Bowl 45
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2010: 12-4, reached Super Bowl 45
" data-src=https://ift.tt/fY80oqX class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2010: 12-4, reached Super Bowl 45
">2010: 12-4, reached Super Bowl 45
" src=https://ift.tt/fY80oqX class=caas-img>2011: 12-4, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2011: 12-4, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/q7Jvg9l class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2011: 12-4, reached playoffs
">2011: 12-4, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/q7Jvg9l class=caas-img>2012: 8-8
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2012: 8-8
" data-src=https://ift.tt/uZA8BtP class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2012: 8-8
">2012: 8-8
" src=https://ift.tt/uZA8BtP class=caas-img>2013: 8-8
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2013: 8-8
" data-src=https://ift.tt/DnS8FNs class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2013: 8-8
">2013: 8-8
" src=https://ift.tt/DnS8FNs class=caas-img>2014: 11-5, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2014: 11-5, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/Ece9Krq class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2014: 11-5, reached playoffs
">2014: 11-5, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/Ece9Krq class=caas-img>2015: 10-6, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2015: 10-6, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/hMVfadq class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2015: 10-6, reached playoffs
">2015: 10-6, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/hMVfadq class=caas-img>2016: 11-5, reached AFC Championship Game
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2016: 11-5, reached AFC Championship Game
" data-src=https://ift.tt/K5GvYNj class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2016: 11-5, reached AFC Championship Game
">2016: 11-5, reached AFC Championship Game
" src=https://ift.tt/K5GvYNj class=caas-img>2017: 13-3, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2017: 13-3, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/As7PaLT class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2017: 13-3, reached playoffs
">2017: 13-3, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/As7PaLT class=caas-img>2018: 9-6-1
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2018: 9-6-1
" data-src=https://ift.tt/cv54D7K class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2018: 9-6-1
">2018: 9-6-1
" src=https://ift.tt/cv54D7K class=caas-img>2019: 8-8
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2019: 8-8
" data-src=https://ift.tt/WUQEtfG class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2019: 8-8
">2019: 8-8
" src=https://ift.tt/WUQEtfG class=caas-img>2020: 12-4, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2020: 12-4, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/JMYeXiI class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2020: 12-4, reached playoffs
">2020: 12-4, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/JMYeXiI class=caas-img>2021: 9-7-1, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2021: 9-7-1, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/u9DzCn7 class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2021: 9-7-1, reached playoffs
">2021: 9-7-1, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/u9DzCn7 class=caas-img>2022: 9-8
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2022: 9-8
" data-src=https://ift.tt/pn7Z9cD class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2022: 9-8
">2022: 9-8
" src=https://ift.tt/pn7Z9cD class=caas-img>2023: 10-7, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2023: 10-7, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/EW4QmIZ class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2023: 10-7, reached playoffs
">2023: 10-7, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/EW4QmIZ class=caas-img>2024: 10-7, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2024: 10-7, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/gbPAyNY class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2024: 10-7, reached playoffs
">2024: 10-7, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/gbPAyNY class=caas-img>2025: 10-7, reached playoffs
" style=padding-bottom:56%>2025: 10-7, reached playoffs
" data-src=https://ift.tt/XwsHGm5 class=caas-img data-headline="Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons" data-caption="
2025: 10-7, reached playoffs
">2025: 10-7, reached playoffs
" src=https://ift.tt/XwsHGm5 class=caas-img>
1 / 19Mike Tomlin steps down: Look back at all 19 of his Steelers seasons
2007: 10-6, reached playoffs
"I'm thinking about this week, but obviously I'm 42 years old and I'm on a one-year deal," Rodgers said. "So you know what the situation is. Whenever the season ends, I'll be a free agent. So that'll give me a lot of options if I still want to play. I mean, not a lot of options, but there'll be options, I would think, maybe one or two, if I decide I still want to play."
After a season-ending wild-card loss to the Houston Texans on Monday, Rodgers said he would take his time while weighing retirement against returning for a 22nd season.
"I'm not going to make any emotional decisions at this point," Rodgers said. "Such a fun year. A lot of adversity, but a lot of fun. Been a great year overall in my life in the last year, and this is a really good part of that, coming here and being a part of this team. So it's disappointing 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.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Tomlin's move likely affects Aaron Rodgers' decision, Rooney says
Source: "AOL Sports"
Source: Sports
Published: January 15, 2026 at 01:27AM on Source: MARIO MAG
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