Ben Roethlisberger calls for Steelers to shift direction after Mike Tomlin steps aside

Shortly aft the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs, longtime manager Mike Tomlin stepped down, sending shockwaves crossed the NFL.

"While this section comes to a close, my respect and emotion for the Pittsburgh Steelers volition ne'er change. I americium excited for what the aboriginal holds for this organization, and I volition everlastingly beryllium grateful for my clip coaching successful Pittsburgh," Tomlin said past week successful a statement.

Tomlin’s determination pushed the Steelers, a franchise that has had conscionable 3 caput coaches since the 1969 season, into a uncommon coaching search. With Art Rooney II and Omar Khan starring the search, the Steelers person begun interviewing candidates. 

Former Steelers backmost Ben Roethlisberger has publically weighed successful connected the team’s direction.

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Ben Roethlisberger (7) of the Pittsburgh Steelers stands adjacent to caput manager Mike Tomlin anterior to an NFL crippled against the Tennessee Titans astatine Heinz Field connected Dec. 19, 2021 successful Pittsburgh. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

While the Steelers person traditionally focused connected coaches with antiaircraft backgrounds, Roethlisberger wants to spot an offensive-minded manager get an accidental to instrumentality the reins. 

"I would powerfully see a mates things ... my archetypal thought is, I privation an offensive-minded caput coach," the Super Bowl victor said connected "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger."

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"That's what I would bash if I was the wide manager. We've had defensive-minded coaches successful here, that's what they've each been, I'm acceptable for an violative guy, I privation to people much than six points successful a postseason game. I would emotion a younger, offensive-minded caput coach, a (Sean) McVay-ish, a Ben Johnson-ish who would absorption connected the discourtesy and hopefully would beryllium palmy capable that you could support present ... the adjacent semipermanent coach."

Roethlisberger said an offensive-minded caput manager should beryllium paired with a seasoned antiaircraft coordinator, pointing to Jim Schwartz and Vic Fangio arsenic options.

The Pittsburgh Steelers logo astatine mid-field a crippled against the Cincinnati Bengals astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Nov. 16, 2025 successful Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Roethlisberger besides backed erstwhile Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys manager Mike McCarthy arsenic a campaigner for the Steelers job.

"My adjacent prime would virtually beryllium Mike McCarthy," Roethlisberger said. "Mike McCarthy is an violative seasoned manager with Pittsburgh ties, helium understands the Steeler way, what it means to beryllium a Steeler and the Rooney household and however it works. Lot of respect for him. He could bring a younger coordinator oregon immoderate to help. The imaginable downside for that is however agelong would helium support coaching for? I don't know."

Ben Roethlisberger (7) of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks connected during the archetypal fractional against the Baltimore Ravens astatine Heinz Field connected Dec. 05, 2021 successful Pittsburgh. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

"The imaginable affirmative broadside of coming successful present would beryllium the imaginable of Aaron Rodgers coming back," Roethlisberger said. "They person a narration together. I presume it's bully enough. They won a Super Bowl together. You could bring his discourtesy in. Aaron would cognize the discourtesy and consciousness ace comfy successful an discourtesy helium knows."

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Aaron Rodgers finished his archetypal play successful Pittsburgh with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. The Steelers survived against the Baltimore Ravens successful Week 18 to assertion the AFC North and clinch the last postseason spot.

While it remains unclear whether Rodgers volition instrumentality to Pittsburgh for 2026, prosecute different squad oregon opt to retire, Roethlisberger expressed enactment for seeing the four-time league MVP play for the Steelers adjacent season.

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Ex-Steelers prima backs violative manager arsenic squad seeks Mike Tomlin's successor