After sitting through five other NFL playoff games, the Pittsburgh Steelers will finally take the field against the Houston Texans in their postseason showdown. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers answered a lot of questions to get to this moment. Yet, questions still remain for Rodgers and the club entering the playoff game.
From Rodgers’s perspective, the thing on everyone’s mind is whether this will be his final game with the Steelers or even the NFL.
Hours before kickoff, SI on Steelers’ Noah Strackbein discussed the possibility of Rodgers and the Steelers reuniting for the 2026 campaign.
Strackbein initially argued whether the Steelers win or lose won’t influence the team’s decision about the 42-year-old quarterback next season. However, the nature of how the game unfolds could certainly be a factor.
“There needs to be context included in this answer. If the Steelers lose in embarrassing fashion, the entire team is under question,” Strackbein wrote. “No one is “safe,” and Pittsburgh will likely consider all avenues to try and improve next year.
“A win and Rodgers likely returns, unless he sails off into the sunset with a Super Bowl ring.
“If it’s close, maybe Rodgers listens to himself about a second season in the same system.”
How the Steelers Win or Lose in NFL Playoffs Should Determine Aaron Rodgers’s 2026 Fate
Most fans have winning and losing on their minds entering playoff games. But Monday, it would be understandable if Steelers fans are also considering how the team might lose.
Not only do the Steelers enter Monday’s contest on a six-game playoff losing streak, they’ve lost five of those six contests by double digits.
In the first quarter of those games, opponents have outscored the Steelers 73-0.
If the Pittsburgh-Houston matchup starts off on a similar bad note, then there’s going to be significant pressure on the Steelers to make major changes. That could even include at head coach with Mike Tomlin.
The 19-year head coach silenced his doubters in December and with a dramatic Week 18 victory against the Baltimore Ravens. But if history repeats itself again in the first quarter or with a Steelers blowout postseason loss, then fans could begin calling for his job again.
In all likelihood, Tomlin has to be back in 2026 for Rodgers to also return to Pittsburgh.
The Argument for Why Monday’s Outcome Won’t Matter for Rodgers
Assuming Tomlin returns, which is highly likely to happen, there’s still an argument for Rodgers to return next year regardless of Monday’s outcome.
Who can the Steelers find who will be better?
Pittsburgh will be picking in the back half of the first round again. There are always exceptions, but that typically doesn’t bode well for finding a franchise quarterback.
The free agency quarterback class also doesn’t look very impressive on paper either. The Steelers could find someone younger than Rodgers, which would give the team more long-term upside behind center. However, there likely isn’t anyone who will be more capable than even the 42-year-old.
Rodgers would also have an edge over any free agent because he’s already spent a year in Arthur Smith’s offense.
Rodgers has mostly avoided talking about potentially returning next season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday his “understanding” was the Steelers “would be more than open” to a return if Rodgers wanted to be back.
The Steelers didn’t bring back Russell Wilson or Justin Fields after their embarrassing playoff loss last year. But they did go the veteran route again behind center in the hopes Rodgers would be an upgrade. He largely was, especially at the end of the regular season.
If the Steelers don’t see that upgrade on the market this spring, Rodgers could return regardless of what happens in the postseason.
Steelers-Texans Outcome Predicted to Impact Aaron Rodgers Future