Mike Tomlin breaks silence on Steelers exit, makes prediction on what Aaron Rodgers will do in 2026

In his NBC debut, Tomlin explained why he stepped down in Pittsburgh and weighed in on Rodgers' uncertain future

Mike Tomlin has kept a pretty low profile since stepping down as the Steelers head coach in January after 19 seasons. In the three months since then, Tomlin hasn't really talked about why he decided to step down, but that changed Sunday night. 

Tomlin will join NBC for the upcoming football season, and during his first appearance on the network, he offered some new details on why he thought it was time to move on. He also made a prediction about whether Aaron Rodgers would return this year. 

Let's break down everything Tomlin had to say, starting with his thoughts on Rodgers. 

Tomlin's prediction on Aaron Rodgers' future

The Steelers were hoping that Rodgers would make a decision about his future before the 2026 NFL Draft, but that didn't happen, which means the team is now stuck playing the waiting game for the second straight year. 

Tomlin was asked what he thought Rodgers would do, and he gave an answer that should have the Steelers feeling optimistic about getting the four-time NFL MVP back for another season. 

"Man, if you got a gun to my head, I'd say it's AR," Tomlin said of who the Steelers QB will be in 2026. "I just think being around him for the 12 months that I'm around him, he's got a love affair with the game of football, and not only the game, but the process, the informal moments, the development of younger guys, the interaction with teammates. I think he has an addiction to that, and there's only one way to feed it, and certainly he is still capable and in really good shape. So I think, at the end of the day, he'll play football."

Tomlin and Rodgers seemed close during their one season together, so Tomlin's opinion means something. In 2025, Rodgers didn't sign with the Steelers until mandatory minicamp in June, and it won't be surprising if he decides to go that route again. 

In the meantime, the Steelers are planning for life after Rodgers. They selected Penn State quarterback Drew Allar during the third round of the draft on Friday, and he'll now join a room that includes Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. If Rodgers doesn't show up until June, that will give those three quarterbacks a chance to split reps in OTAs in May. If Rodgers doesn't return at all, the Steelers will have an interesting quarterback battle on their hands going into training camp.

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Why Tomlin stepped down

The former Steelers coach hasn't talked much about why he decided NOT to return for a 20th season, but he did offer a glimpse into this thinking. Tomlin said it wasn't an "overnight decision." He also said it wasn't something he'd be able to fully "articulate" to people, but he did his best to offer a few details. 

"There's a loneliness with leadership," Tomlin said. "I just thought it was a good time for me, personally, and by that, I mean just where I am in life. And I thought it was a good time for the organization, to be quite honest with you. We didn't have a lot of success in the playoffs in recent years."

The Steelers hired Tomlin in 2007, and he never had a losing season during his 19 years with the franchise. He took the franchise to two Super Bowls, with one win, but as he noted, the team struggled in the postseason in recent years with seven straight playoff losses dating back to the 2016 AFC title game. 

"There's just some veteran players -- guys like Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt and [Chris] Boswell -- that I thought were worthy of the excitement and optimism associated with new leadership," Tomlin said. 

With Tomlin out, the Steelers have hired Mike McCarthy to run the show. In a twist, McCarthy and Tomlin actually faced each other in Super Bowl XLV, a game won by the Green Bay Packers, who had McCarthy and Rodgers. Sixteen years later, McCarthy and Rodgers will try to get the Steelers to the Super Bowl, assuming the quarterback decides to return. 

Why Tomlin joined the media

Tomlin could have taken the year off and spent some time away from football. Instead, he joined NBC, where he'll be an analyst on "Football Night in America." 

Tomlin might not be coaching anymore, but he loves football, which explains why he decided to take the gig. 

"I just thought it'd be a great way to stay connected to the game and the awesome people in it: Players, coaches, executives," Tomlin said. "And excited about doing that on Sunday night and traveling to different venues and getting that feel for the environment. And lastly, I just thought it'd be awesome to share insight with fellow football lovers. I love to talk football, and so that's just an exciting component for me."

Being in the media is a completely new experience for Tomlin, who pointed out that it could definitely cause some anxiety. 

"Good anxiety," Tomlin said. "It's good to be uncomfortable, the growth associated with that. And so, man, I'm fired up about it."

It will be interesting to see how Tomlin does. Some head coaches thrive in the media because they're able to break things down in a way fans can understand and they're not afraid to criticize the players on the field. However, plenty of coaches have also struggled to make the transition. Tomlin certainly has the personality to thrive in his new job, but only time will tell how he actually does.