As the Pittsburgh Steelers navigate a pivotal offseason, the organization finds itself standing at a monumental crossroads. With newly minted head coach Mike McCarthy taking the reins for his first year in 2026, the franchise must make a definitive choice about its future under center.
For former NFL general manager and current football analyst Mike Tannenbaum, the answer is abundantly clear: It is time for the Steelers to close the book on the Aaron Rodgers era and embrace a youth-driven rebuild.
Why the Steelers Need to Move On from Aaron Rodgers
Despite Rodgers’ nearly undisputed status as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the most talented passers in league history, Tannenbaum believes the harsh realities of age and declining physical production are impossible to ignore.
In PFSN’s QB Impact metric, you can see Rodgers’ gradual decline over the years. During his 21 seasons in the league, PFSN has graded Rodgers with an A three times: 2011, 2014, and 2020.
During his single season in the Steel City, Rodgers earned a C-, with a 71.4. That ranked him 29th in the league.
Speaking recently on ESPN’s “Get Up” about the veteran signal-caller’s future, the former GM didn’t mince words regarding why Pittsburgh must look elsewhere.
“They should move on from Aaron Rodgers,” Tannenbaum stated unequivocally. “As Ben (Solak) said, he’s going to be 43 years old in December. Last year, he really struggled getting the ball down the field. And as you get older into your 40s, that’s not going to get better.”
Tannenbaum’s critique highlights a difficult truth for the Steelers. Rodgers, for all his historical greatness, has transitioned into what Tannenbaum bluntly labels a mere “bridge quarterback” at this twilight stage of his career.
But the structural concerns in Pittsburgh extend far beyond just the quarterback position. Tannenbaum pointed to an aging, star-studded defensive core as a primary reason why a temporary patch at quarterback will not yield championship results.
“When you pair that with an aging defense, and what I mean by that, T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, key guys all over 30 years old, they need to start over,” he explained.
With a roster leaning so heavily on older veterans, retaining a soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback simply does not align with the long-term vision typically required by a first-year head coach. Instead of trying to desperately squeeze one last run out of a seasoned squad, Tannenbaum is urging the Steelers’ front office to pivot entirely and secure their quarterback of the future in the draft.
His primary targets for Pittsburgh’s offensive reboot are promising young talents Will Howard or even Ty Simpson.
“They need to go with Will Howard,” Tannenbaum suggested. “You have a head coach of Mike McCarthy who’s in year one. I have no idea why they would bring back a quarterback that’s going to be 43.”
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Howard was selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Last year, he sat all year behind Rodgers and longtime backup Mason Rudolph.
For a proud franchise like the Steelers, tearing down the roster is rarely an easy pill to swallow. However, Tannenbaum’s assessment paints a stark picture of a team that has simply aged out of its contention window. If McCarthy is to build a sustainable, long-term winner in Pittsburgh, cutting ties with a legendary but fading Rodgers in favor of a young prospect like Howard may be the tough but necessary first step.
