AfterMike Tomlin stepped down as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, it affectedAaron Rodgers' future too.
What seemed pretty evident: Rodgers probably wasn't coming back to Pittsburgh since Tomlin was gone,Steelers president Art Rooney II saidWednesday at a news conference.
"Aaron came here to play for Mike. So it will most likely affect his decision,"Rooney said.
So what happens next with Rodgers if he wants to keep playing?
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His options will be slim. A few teams might be in need of a quarterback, but that list will be short. It was short last season too, but Rodgers and the Steelers needed each other and it was a reasonably successful one-year arrangement.
Here are Rodgers' (few) options heading into the offseason:
Minnesota Vikings
This would complete the Brett Favre circle, fromPackerstoJetsto Vikings to finish things off. There were conversations last offseason about Rodgers and the Vikings, but it didn't make enough sense then. The Vikings wanted to see what they had inJ.J. McCarthyand it wouldn't have been ideal to bring in Rodgers. After McCarthy struggled for most of his first season starting, the Vikings talked about adding depth to the quarterback room. Could that be Rodgers?
This time around it might fit. It would be like theIndianapolis Coltsbringing inDaniel Jonesto compete withAnthony Richardson Sr.last season, after Richardson had some troubling signs through two seasons. It would also be unbelievable for Rodgers to follow the same path as Favre (other than the one-year stopover in Pittsburgh) at the end of his career.
Retirement
Rodgers played pretty well this past season. Considering the history of 42-year-old quarterbacks, it was amazing. Before Rodgers, only Tom Brady had any level of success at age 42. The history of quarterbacks at age 43 is predictably worse. Much worse. The only seven quarterbacks to appear in one game at age 43 or older are Brady, George Blanda, Vinny Testaverde, Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Steve DeBerg andPhilip Rivers. Other than Brady, Rivers was the best of that group with an 80.2 passer rating in three games. Blanda is next best with a 66.1 passer rating. It's not pretty.
Maybe Rodgers could defy history again. But that's far from a guarantee. Rodgers hinted at the 2025 season being his final one, then late in the season kept the door open for a potential return in 2026. But clearly at his age, retirement is on the table. Going out with a rough season on his fourth team in five seasons isn't how any legend wants to leave the game.
Wait around for an opening
Speaking of Philip Rivers, there are always quarterback injuries through a season. Teams get desperate. Even Rivers, after almost five full seasons off and at age 44, got a call from a Colts team that had few options. In comparison, Rodgers at age 43 (he'll be 42 until December) who played at a reasonably high level the previous season, would be a popular call for a team in need. Then Rodgers could assess each potential team's playoff viability and make a decision late in the season that best suits him.
The others
If Rodgers wants to join a team during the offseason — maybe late in the offseason, given how long he waited last year to sign with the Steelers — there will be teams that don't have ideal quarterback situations. If theDolphinsmove on fromTua Tagovailoa, they'll need someone to play quarterback. The Jets might need a quarterback too, but a reunion there is never happening after how that relationship ended.
Perhaps the Steelers will reemerge as an option if they strike out in other avenues to find a quarterback, as unlikely as Rodgers returning there seems now. It could be just like last offseason, when Rodgers and the Steelers were the only realistic options for each other.
Maybe theCardinalsmake a call? There aren't many obvious answers outside of perhaps Minnesota, which is why Rodgers returning is no sure thing.
