Two of the most recognizable names for the Pittsburgh Steelers may soon compete for the same chair. But for former head coach Mike Tomlin and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it has nothing to do with touchdowns.

“The Athletic reports that Mike Tomlin, Cam Heyward, and Aaron Rodgers could become NBC analysts in 2026. Replacing Tony Dungy,” Pittsburgh sports radio host Andrew Fillipponi wrote on X.

NBC wants a revamp, and The Athletic confirmed the network is eyeing a loaded talent pool. Mike Tomlin, Cam Heyward, Travis Kelce, Kirk Cousins, and Aaron Rodgers are the names on their list. But nearly all the players from that group might still want to play football rather than talk about it from the booth.

Tomlin is reportedly NBC’s No. 1 studio target, and it’s easy to see why. Football Night in America needs a marquee voice, and Tomlin’s unfiltered honesty would make him the instant centerpiece. His catchphrases (“the standard is the standard,” for example), his gravitas, and his 18 seasons of credibility in Steel City: it all translates.

But Tomlin may not bite. Back in 2021, NBC Sports producer Fred Gaudelli had floated the idea to him, and Tomlin had reportedly shut it down cold.

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“Fred, I’m never going to the dark side,” Tomlin had notably said.

After 18 seasons building a .600-plus winning culture in Pittsburgh, a studio chair might feel like the ultimate surrender. So the No. 1 prospect for NBC might just be a lost cause after all. And then there’s the case for Aaron Rodgers.

The 42-year-old quarterback has been even more vocal about escaping the spotlight. On the Pat McAfee Show back in June 2025, he was blunt about his life after football.

“When this is all done, it’s Keyser Söze,” Rodgers told McAfee. “You won’t see me. I won’t be in public. I don’t want to live a public life.”

Months later, he told Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit during a Thursday Night Football broadcast something similar. And this time, Rodgers added a poetic touch to his answer.

“I’m going to disappear,” Rodgers said. “I’ve spent my whole life in the limelight… I’m looking for the shadows.”

NBC still has him on its shortlist as a “wild card” anyway. One man facing three possible routes forward: broadcasting, retirement, or back under center. But if Aaron Rodgers ends up behind a desk, Pittsburgh has a real problem.

NBC’s move on A-Rod could leave Pittsburgh scrambling

Who’s the Steelers’ quarterback for 2026 if Aaron Rodgers picks the booth?

That’s the question Pittsburgh may have to answer fast if Rodgers decides to join NBC and talk football instead of playing it. General manager Omar Khan has already noted that “the door is open” if Rodgers wants to suit up in black and gold again. What’s more, Pittsburgh’s 2026 offseason has already been structured around Rodgers returning under new head coach Mike McCarthy, the architect of A-Rod’s best offensive years with the Green Bay Packers.

But McCarthy hasn’t placed all his eggs in one basket. He’s creating separate playbooks to work with. If Rodgers comes back, they follow one scheme a certain way. If not, that scheme has a variation to work with the young quarterback Will Howard.

Throughout this, Steel City’s hunt for a franchise quarterback hasn’t stopped. Omar Khan has defined the standard he’s looking for at the NFL Combine recently.

“I’ll say we have to find the right quarterback that’s going to be an AFC North quarterback,” Khan said. “Playing in the AFC North, there’s nothing like it, the cold weather, the rivalries, the division, the physicality of the division.”

But finding or developing a franchise quarterback isn’t a matter of weeks. It will require plenty of practice reps as well as proper regular-season starts. Will Howard is next in line, but he needs more time to get ready for the NFL since a hand injury wiped away his entire rookie year last season.

Pittsburgh needs a veteran like Rodgers to fill the gap, as well as help polish Howard into someone Steel City can rely on. A-Rod has already mentored Jordan Love into a franchise starter back in Green Bay. He could do the same for Howard. But that’s only if he’s in Pittsburgh, not on set.

NBC is hunting its next face. Rodgers faces a choice between shadows and spotlights. For the Steelers right now, a single decision can reshape everything. The question is, what will that decision be, and when will it come?