Despite a successful season and another AFC North title, the Pittsburgh Steelers suffered the same fate as previous seasons with a disappointing loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs. Players and fans have to be left wondering what is next for the Steelers as they enter another offseason with far more questions than answers.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) after a postseason matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans.
Before the Steelers played on Monday night, the AFC North Division had already been shaken up. The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens both fired their head coaches at the conclusion of the regular season. For the Ravens, it meant parting ways with John Harbaugh, who had been the team's coach for 18 years and led them to a Super Bowl championship.
For now, there hasn’t been much discussion about the Steelers parting ways with head coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin has famously never had a losing season in Pittsburgh, but he also hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 campaign. This juxtaposition of regular season success and playoff failure continues to be the hallmark of Tomlin’s tenure, which has been duly noted by local fans, US sportsbooks and even online betting Canada focused sites.
Heading into the offseason, the biggest question for the Steelers will be the same one since the days of Ben Roethlisberger: who will be the quarterback in 2026? When asked about it, Aaron Rodgers was noncommittal, saying he would not make any quick emotional decisions. Rodgers, who just turned 42 in December, has been the most stable quarterback to run the Steelers’ offence since Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 seasson.
Rodgers joins a long list of free agents for the Steelers, which also includes running back Kenneth Gainwell, wide receiver Calvin Austin, and safeties Chuck Clark and Kyle Dugger. Don’t be surprised if the Steelers choose to get younger this year, though. Through various moves, the Steelers have amassed a war chest of twelve draft picks, including five in the first three rounds.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan picks up the phone in the team's war room during the 2023 NFL Draft weekend.
It could be an offseason of change in the Steel City. What they decide to do at quarterback will be of huge importance, as sports pundits and fans are expecting the Steelers to be favorites to win the AFC North division again next year. The defense has some studs, but they disappointed this year, particularly in the playoffs against the Texans. If Rodgers returns, look for Pittsburgh to add some young defensive pieces using their strong draft capital. They will also be looking at adding another wide receiver to help DK Metcalf find more room on the field.
For a division that has historically been tightly contested, the AFC North enters the offseason with an air of uncertainty. All four teams could improve next year, or could fall off a cliff. It’s difficult to predict how teams will perform under a new coaching regime. The Ravens have been the model of consistency in the NFL, but could be in for the biggest schematic and philosophical change in nearly two decades. The Browns parted ways with a coach who has won the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award in two of the past six seasons.
The Steelers feel like they are spinning their tires, although it’s hard to complain after winning their division for the first time since 2020. Perhaps for fans and the players, this offseason is more about making progress and showing that the team is not content with living in the middle of the pack.