As the Steelers find themselves deep into January with more questions than answers, two of the most pivotal roles in Pittsburgh sports-head coach and quarterback-are both wide open. It’s a rare moment of transition for one of the NFL’s most stable franchises, and after a ninth straight season without a playoff win, the stakes feel heavier than ever.
Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down sent ripples through the organization. His emotional farewell to the locker room marked the end of a 17-year run defined by consistency, leadership, and a Super Bowl ring. Now, the Steelers are not just searching for a new voice on the sideline-they're also still trying to solve the riddle that’s lingered since Ben Roethlisberger retired: who’s the next true franchise quarterback?
Roethlisberger, for his part, isn’t staying silent from the sidelines. On his podcast Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the former Steelers great offered up his own vision for how Pittsburgh should handle the quarterback room in 2026-and it includes a surprising name: Aaron Rodgers.
“I don’t think it hurts to try and bring Aaron back if you can. If he wants to,” Roethlisberger said. “For the reason of helping Will Howard grow for another year.”
It’s a bold suggestion, but not without logic. Rodgers, even in the twilight of his career, still brings an elite football IQ, leadership, and the ability to elevate an offense. And for a young quarterback like Will Howard, there may be no better mentor.
Howard, a sixth-round pick out of Ohio State, spent his rookie season as the emergency third quarterback. He didn’t take a single snap in any of the Steelers’ 18 games and was inactive on game days. But Roethlisberger sees real potential in the 6’4” gunslinger.
And the college tape backs that up. In his lone season in Columbus, Howard led the Buckeyes to the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.
He topped the Big Ten in completion percentage (73%), passing yards (4,010), and touchdown passes (35). That’s not just production-it’s command.
It’s poise. It’s the kind of performance that turns heads in NFL front offices.
“If Aaron’s not in the scenario, I would go with Will Howard this year,” Roethlisberger added.
That’s not blind faith-it’s a calculated move. Howard missed all of training camp and the preseason with a broken pinky on his throwing hand, which stunted his early development. But with a full offseason and a clean bill of health, Roethlisberger believes the Steelers could do a lot worse than giving the kid a shot.
Still, Big Ben isn’t suggesting the Steelers go into 2026 with only youth at the position. He’s advocating for the addition of a proven veteran-someone affordable, experienced, and capable of stepping in if needed.
“I would bring in a veteran quarterback, like a league-minimum type quarterback, that is a great teammate, can still help, you can plug and play if you need to,” Roethlisberger said.
He tossed out names like Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota, and Carson Wentz-guys who’ve been around the block, seen playoff football, and could provide a steadying presence in the quarterback room. Notably absent? Mason Rudolph, who returned to the Steelers in 2025 but wasn’t mentioned as part of Roethlisberger’s ideal setup.
Of course, all of this hinges on who the Steelers bring in as their next head coach. That decision will shape not just the quarterback situation, but the entire identity of the team moving forward. It’s a monumental hire-just the fourth head coach in 57 years for the franchise-and with six head coaching vacancies still open around the league, including high-profile jobs in Baltimore and Buffalo, Pittsburgh is in the thick of a competitive search.
So here the Steelers stand: a proud franchise at a crossroads, trying to chart a course through one of the most uncertain offseasons in recent memory. The next few weeks will be critical.
A new head coach. A quarterback plan.
A chance to reset the culture.
For the first time in a long time, Pittsburgh feels like a team in transition. But with the right moves-and maybe a little help from a future Hall of Famer-the path back to contention might be closer than it looks.