The 2025 season ended in disappointment for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They once again failed to win a playoff game, and, to add insult to injury, they were blown out at home in the postseason. Also, Mike Tomlin stepped down at the start of this offseason, shifting the Steelers into a new era. While many people are pessimistic about the Steelers this season, their offseason moves leave analyst Emory Hunt confident in their chances of returning to the playoffs this season.
“I love the fact that they bolstered their receiving corps,” Hunt said recently on the Pushing the Pile podcast. “You have Michael Pittman Jr. You drafted Germie Bernard out of Alabama. Kaden Wetjen is a nice add to the slot position because he can continue to grow in that area, but you also get a day-one core special-teamer as a returner… Look at the offensive line they added…
“You also bring in Rico Dowdle and Eli Heidenreich in the backfield… Defensively, you add Jaquan Brisker and Jamel Dean. I felt like Pittsburgh really did a good job under the radar… I think the floor is high for Pittsburgh. They could make a legit case going back to the postseason.”
It’s been a busy offseason for the Steelers, and that’s not even including their coaching staff overhaul. However, Mike McCarthy and company haven’t been taking things slow. As Hunt lays out, the Steelers have made many additions to their roster.
They entered this offseason with several glaring needs, and for the most part, they’ve all been addressed. Pittman and Bernard give them better depth at receiver. Max Iheanachor, Gennings Dunker, and Brock Hoffman could all fight to start along Pittsburgh’s offensive line. The Steelers even bolstered their defense by adding Brisker and Dean.
However, it wouldn’t be fair to talk about the Steelers’ offseason without addressing the elephant in the room. It’s still unclear who their starting quarterback will be. They currently have Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar, but none of them figure to be quality starters in 2026.
Aaron Rodgers could still return, though. The Steelers have remained in contact with him, and they would welcome him back. However, he hasn’t made a decision on his future yet. There’s a chance that Rodgers could retire or sign with another team.
If Rodgers returns, though, that will solve one of the Steelers’ biggest questions. He’s 42 years old, so it’s unclear how well he can still play. Rodgers wasn’t awful last year, though. Maybe Pittsburgh’s new offensive system could help him look better in 2026.
Just making the playoffs won’t be good enough, though. The Steelers need to win a postseason game. It’s been almost 10 years since they’ve had any playoff success. Their productive offseason won’t mean much if they stay stuck in the same cycle.
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