A former NFL general manager is not on board with the Pittsburgh Steelers running it back with quarterback Aaron Rodgers .
All signs continue to point towards the Pittsburgh Steelers running it back with Aaron Rodgers in 2026. However, not everybody thinks that would be such a good idea.
Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum believes it's time for the Steelers to start fresh at quarterback, despite Rodgers' connections to their new coaching regime.
"I would clearly move on from him," Tannenbaum said on ESPN's Get Up . "He is obviously an all-time great player, Aaron Rodgers is, but he's going to be 43 in December and you have a new head coach. Give Will Howard a chance and then go scour. Go scour for a veteran, Kyler Murray , Kirk Cousins , and then look at the draft. Beyond Fernando Mendoza, it may not be in the first round, but Aaron Rodgers is really a bridge quarterback, and if you're in year one with Mike McCarthy, start fresh and bring in competition for Will Howard."
Rodgers was certainly serviceable in 2025, completing 327 of his 498 passes (65.7%) for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
His connection with McCarthy is also undeniable as the two worked together for 13 years in Green Bay . However, Pittsburgh should turn over every rock before officially reuniting with Rodgers.
GREEN BAY, WI – SEPTEMBER 16: Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy talks into his headset in action during an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers on September 16, 2018 at Lambeau Field, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings played to a 29-29 tie. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire)
Rodgers must also still decide if he would even like to continue playing, but that is an answer the Steelers are hoping to have sooner rather than later .
The quarterback options aren't expected to be of top quality this offseason, with names like Murray, Cousins and Malik Willis among the top players. The 2026 NFL Draft has also been diminished of talent with many players deciding to return to their respective schools.
So it's not difficult to imagine Rodgers back in Pittsburgh in 2026. The team must make sure that whatever it decides is what's best for it now and in the future, though.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Former GM Urges Steelers to Move On From Aaron Rodgers
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