The story of Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy coming home to be the head coach of his hometown team is something out of a movie. It would take the most cynical and heartless person to not appreciate where McCarthy is from, where he’s gone and how he’s returned. The storybook ending of course culminates with him leading his team to a seventh Super Bowl victory. Whether that happens or not we will most certainly find out. Like anyone covering this team, I’ve got some optimism and I’ve also got concerns.
QB Play
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. If you don’t have a good one then your chances of postseason success are almost zero. The Steelers have four QBs on this roster and if any that are not named ‘Aaron Rodgers’ have to play for extended stretches then this season is in trouble. I say that while at the same time holding doubts about Rodgers himself. Will he get back to pushing the ball down the field or will he be the guy that turned into “Checkdown Charlie” for much of the season?
I have serious concerns about his ability to stay healthy. I credit Rodgers with missing just one game in 2025 due to a broken wrist but it was clearly affecting him when he returned. Mason Rudolph has proven that he can win you a game or two while Will Howard and Drew Allar have proven nothing to this point. The fate of this unit and team rides on Rodgers.
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Defensive Cohesion
Patrick Graham is like the kid who never got to play with the brand name toys. His parents constantly got him the knockoff stuff and it just didn’t work for him. Now he has the brand name stuff, but can he produce? The secondary is still a question with limited action from Jalen Ramsey, Jaquan Brisker and Joey Porter, Jr. These guys have practiced together recently but game situations are far different. If they can’t come together quickly there will be issues.
Trench Warfare
The organization has invested massively in their offensive and defensive lines. It is now time for these investments to start paying off. The defensive side features a great blend of veteran experience and athletic youth. The offensive line meanwhile features literally all youth. They will get very little leeway as the season starts too. I suspect Dylan Cook will open at right tackle before giving way to Max Iheanachor in the next few weeks. Both sides of the ball have to be healthy and they have to do their jobs consistently in order for team success to happen.
It’s Time
The wide receiver room has been upgraded. Through free agency and the draft, the guys behind D.K. Metcalf have to make plays. Roman Wilson is literally facing his final opportunity after three seasons of nothingness. Germie Bernard certainly looks the part but if he is unable to do what Rodgers needs him to then that becomes an issue. Michael Pittman, Jr has not been 100% for most of the preseason and to say he is needed is a massive understatement. These guys collectively have to be on the same page as Rodgers and they have to play well. There’s no other way to say it.
The Final Record
The Pittsburgh Steelers of 2026 will be remembered for a couple of things when all is said and done. First, the organization will question itself. They will have to answer whether going with Mike McCarthy was a good idea. It’s a wonderful story about his return but no one cares if the results don’t go with it. Omar Khan and Art Rooney II will wonder if they should have stuck with over half a century of tradition by going with a younger coach. Secondly, the organization has essentially put its entire future on the back burner while putting all of its’ eggs into the basket of a soon-to-be 43-year old quarterback. I have less and less faith in Aaron Rodgers playing the entire season and for that reason, among others, I see the first losing season in the last 23 years in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers will be competitive but I just don’t have the confidence in Rodgers or the O-Line to commit to anything other than a season that ends without a playoff berth. Final record for the Black and Gold will be 8-9.
