Mike Tomlin Confident Aaron Rodgers Will Suit Up in 2026

Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin thinks Aaron Rodgers is capable enough to start for the Steelers in 2026.

Mike Tomlin Confident Aaron Rodgers Will Suit Up in 2026

Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • Mike Tomlin is confident that Aaron Rodgers will return to the NFL for the 2026 season.
  • Rodgers had a successful 2025 season with 24 touchdowns and a 65.7% completion rate.
  • Concerns arise as Rodgers reportedly feels pressured by the Steelers regarding his future.

After Mike Tomlin stepped away from the Pittsburgh Steelers job, many expected Aaron Rodgers to follow him out of Pittsburgh as well. But Tomlin himself believes that the 42-year-old’s hunger for the game will bring him back to the NFL.

Tomlin recently sat down with Maria Taylor on NBC Sports ahead of an NBA playoff matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, and it did not take long for the conversation to shift toward the league’s quarterback situation. One name that came up in the discussion was Aaron Rodgers.

Tomlin offered insight into Rodgers’ future. He is confident that Rodgers is preparing to return and start for the 2026 season.

Man, if you had a gun to my head, I would say it is AR [Aaron Rodgers]. I just think it will be Aaron. I just think being around him for the 12 months I was around him, he has a love affair with the game of football.

Tomlin said

Tomlin raved about Rodgers’ relationship with his teammates and the professionalism he brings into the locker room. Tomlin pointed to Rodgers’ numbers from the 2025 season when he registered 327 completions for 3,322 yards (65.7%), 24 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions behind the 24th-best offensive line in the league.

He is still capable and in really good shape. I think at the end of the day, he will play football.

Tomlin said

For a Steelers team that’s entering a new era under Mike McCarthy, Tomlin’s words carry a lot of weight. It’s the biggest endorsement one can get, but not that Rodgers needs it. The former first-round pick is a four-time league MVP, holds the best touchdown-to-interception ratio (527-123), and won a Super Bowl in 2010-11.

Last year, Rodgers led the Steelers to a 10-7 finish. It was enough to win the division ahead of the Baltimore Ravens. In the wild-card round, the Steelers faced the Houston Texans. Rodgers completed 17 passes from 33 attempts for 146 yards (51.5%), zero touchdowns, and one interception. The Texans’ defense sacked him 4 times, forcing two fumbles and one fumble loss.

Insider revealed troubling news about Aaron Rodgers’ return

McCarthy’s CV is vast and laden with victories. That’s one reason the Steelers’ owners, the Rooney family, appointed the veteran coach. McCarthy’s presence keeps the door open for Rodgers to return for the 2026 season.

Mike Tomlin Confident Aaron Rodgers Will Suit Up in 2026
Aaron Rodgers (Image via IMAGO)

That said, Rodgers has stayed quiet thus far, making Steelers fans tense and anxious. In the meantime, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (NBC Sports) provided a concerning update about the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

During a recent appearance on the 93.7 The Fan radio show, Florio claimed that Rodgers is not happy with the way the Rooney family has handled his absence. There’s a growing sense that the Steelers have placed much pressure on Rodgers to make the first move, contributing to the delay.

One of my sources — that is kind of hit-and-miss — he insists that Rodgers is irritated that they talk about him… He doesn’t like it.

Florio said

Nobody knows what he’s doing at the moment. He could be on another darkness retreat or spending time with his rumored wife in Malibu, California. Regardless, it appears that the Steelers are okay with the waiting game.

In the meantime, the Steelers went ahead and drafted Penn State quarterback Drew Allar 76th overall in the 2026 draft, which was held at Acrisure Stadium. Allar joins a quarterback room that already has Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. If Rodgers walks away from football, then it will be a three-way battle for the starter’s job, unless McCarthy adds another veteran.

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