Who better to ask about the QB1 conundrum than former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin? The QB room underwent a major reshuffle after the draft wrapped up this weekend, and Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t announced his decision. As fans are still doing guesswork on who among the remaining signal callers will get the QB1 role, Mike Tomlin threw his hat in the ring.

Making his debut on NBC, Tomlin was asked by host Maria Taylor about the same. The former head coach seemed beyond ready with his answer.

“If you got a gun to my head, I’d say it’s A.R.,” Tomlin said. “I just think being around him for the 12 months that I’m around him, he got a love affair with the game of football. Not only the game, but the process. The informal moments, the development of younger guys, the interaction with teammates. I think he has an addiction to that.

“There’s only one way to feed it. Certainly, he is still capable and in really good shape. I think at the end of the day, he’ll play football.”

Tomlin is not wrong. Aaron Rodgers, who’s more known for his age than his game now, started in all of Pittsburgh’s games last season. The QB notched 3,322 passing yards and 24 touchdowns last year, and took the team to the postseason as well. He is beyond capable, and that is the one reason fans are rooting for Rodgers to keep the starting role. But the QB is still keeping fans guessing, with only a month left till the beginning of mandatory minicamp.

Rodgers signed his one-year, $13.6 million contract in June last year and joined the team from the minicamp onwards. But since he has outperformed that value, many believe Rodgers won’t be coming back unless he’s got a better offer from the Steelers. Former Steelers QB Charlie Batch believed Rodgers should ask for $30 million. Had Rodgers been younger, that number could still have been entertained. But since he is 42, not many teams will want to sign him that high. But the QB hasn’t exactly closed the doors on the prospect of playing in 2026.

Before the draft, team owner Art Rooney II acknowledged that Aaron Rodgers has informed them of “his time frame and what he’s going to be up to over the next couple of weeks,” and that they will “have an answer soon.” Rooney also said that the chances of the signal-caller returning before camp begins are “warm.” We might have to watch this space until June to truly know whether or not the veteran QB is coming back to Pittsburgh for one last dance.

Even though Rodgers was always seen as a temporary option for the Steelers, and the team has enough men to replace him in his absence, he would still play a crucial role this season for them in particular.

Pittsburgh needs Aaron Rodgers back this year, thanks to its turbulent history with QBs

Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2021, the Steelers have struggled to find stability at the quarterback position. The franchise has cycled through multiple options in recent seasons, including Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson, reflecting an ongoing search for a long-term solution.

The arrival of Mike McCarthy as Tomlin’s replacement adds another layer to that equation. Having worked with Rodgers and Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott, the new head coach has to find a franchise quarterback for this team. That will not happen with Rodgers, but he needs him in play so that the others behind him will be ready to take over.

Behind him, Mason Rudolph acts as insurance, being the most experienced in the group after Rodgers. Will Howard is seen as the most reliable option to be McCarthy’s man, since he’s still young. Now in his second year in the league, the QB can compete for both the starting and backup roles. The Steelers also picked up Drew Allar from the draft this year, who is a future option. Since Howard and Allar have the best chances of leading the offense in the future, they need to soak up as much as possible by learning from a QB like Aaron Rodgers.

Bottom line is, having him back will ensure that when he leaves, the QB situation will not be in disarray. By that time, Pittsburgh should have a clear answer on who replaces him, and can do so smoothly when it happens.