NFL analyst Nick Wright doesn’t think the Pittsburgh Steelers will have a winning season without Mike Tomlin in 2026.

Wright isn’t a fan of Aaron Rodgers not deciding if he’s returning this season to play for the organization again, an answer the Steelers seem to be eagerly waiting on, and thinks the front office should invest in a new veteran signal-caller in free agency.

“I am going under [8.5 wins],” Wright said recently on his What’s Wright podcast. “I think they will miss Tomlin. I think the fact that Aaron Rodgers is making them do this utter farce of, ‘I haven’t decided if I’m coming back yet…’

“What, are they gonna start Will Howard? They didn’t sign Tua [Tagovailoa]. They didn’t sign Kyler [Murray]. They didn’t sign Malik Willis. The Steelers should grow a spine and sign Kirk Cousins.”

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Rodgers led the Steelers to a 10-7 record in 2025, including a playoff appearance in the Wild Card round. However, the team was thwarted at home by the Houston Texans, forcing the squad to exit the tournament in the first round. There’s reportedly a lot of support within the Steelers organization for another season with Rodgers at the helm. However, the 42-year-old has yet to make an official decision.

Mike McCarthy could reunite with Aaron Rodgers to save the Pittsburgh Steelers

After coaching for 18 years for the Steelers, head coach Mike Tomlin and the organization decided to go in different directions this offseason. In his place, ex-Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has stepped in to take the reins of the organization.

Should Rodgers decide to return to the Steelers next season, he’ll reunite with McCarthy from their days in Green Bay, where they won a Super Bowl together as members of the Green Bay Packers, ironically, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Should the head coach and quarterback duo manage to shock the world and win the Lombardi Trophy together yet again next season, they would be doing so for the very team they defeated in the big game back in 2011.

Of course, Rodgers could very well decide to hang up his cleats for good instead after having openly considered retirement for the past several seasons of his career. With so much support for another year from Rodgers, and the potential to reunite with McCarthy, however, it’s difficult to believe the veteran won’t be tempted to give it one more go.