Honestly, walking out of Acrisure Stadium last Monday felt like attending a funeral for an era we weren't quite ready to bury. The 30-6 drubbing at the hands of the Houston Texans wasn't just another early playoff exit; it was the breaking point. Seven straight postseason losses. Zero wins since 2016. It's a stat that makes your head spin, especially for a franchise that defines itself by Lombardi trophies and "The Standard."
But the real bombshell dropped a few days later. Mike Tomlin is stepping down. After 19 seasons of never having a losing record—a feat that honestly seems impossible in the modern NFL—the longest-tenured coach in the league is calling it. It’s the end of a nearly two-decade run that saw 193 wins and a Super Bowl ring. Now, the Steelers find themselves in a place they haven't been since 1969: searching for a new identity.
This season was supposed to be different. We had the high-priced defense. We had the veteran "last dance" energy of Aaron Rodgers. Instead, we got a 10-7 record that felt like a house of cards finally collapsing under the weight of an offense that couldn't find the end zone if you gave them a map. Let's get into the actual steelers winners and losers from this roller coaster of a year because, frankly, the tape doesn't lie.
The Few Bright Spots in a Dark January
It sounds weird to talk about winners after a 24-point playoff loss, but a few guys actually showed up. While the rest of the team looked like they were stuck in mud, these few kept things from being even more embarrassing.
Joey Porter Jr. is the Real Deal
If you want a reason to be optimistic about 2026, look at number 24. Porter Jr. spent the Wild Card game glued to Nico Collins, and he absolutely erased him. Collins came in as C.J. Stroud’s favorite weapon, but Porter held him to just three catches for 21 yards before Collins left with an injury.
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Porter hasn't allowed a touchdown in over two full seasons. That's not just "good for a young guy"—that's elite, shutdown-corner territory. In a year where the secondary often looked old (looking at you, Jalen Ramsey), Porter was the one guy who looked like he belonged in the modern, pass-heavy NFL.
Corliss Waitman: The Unlikely Hero
Look, nobody wants to talk about the punter. If your punter is a "winner," your offense usually failed. But Waitman was arguably the most consistent Steeler on the field Monday night. He pinned Houston inside their own 20-yard line four different times. On a night where the offense went 2-of-14 on third downs, Waitman’s 45.5-yard average kept the score from being 50-6. He survived a rocky training camp where he replaced Cameron Johnston and ended up being a rare special teams bright spot.
The Losers Who Defined the Season’s End
This is where it gets ugly. The "Steelers Way" is supposed to be about physical, blue-collar football, but the Texans essentially shoved Pittsburgh around in their own backyard.
The Offensive Line and the "Arthur Smith System"
The most frustrating part of the Wild Card loss was the absolute collapse of the offensive line. Arthur Smith was brought in to establish a dominant run game, but the Texans' defensive front lived in the backfield. Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times and hit 12 times. 12! At 42 years old, Rodgers can't be taking those kinds of hits.
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Dylan Cook and Isaac Seumalo had a nightmare of a game. Cook got beat clean by Will Anderson Jr. for the strip-sack that Sheldon Rankins returned for a touchdown. That play basically ended the game. When you spend that much money and draft capital on the trenches, getting outgained 164 to 63 on the ground is unacceptable.
Jalen Ramsey and the "Vegas" Free Agency Strategy
We have to talk about Jalen Ramsey. The Steelers have historically been cautious in free agency, but they went big on Ramsey and Darius Slay (who was already waived in December). It hasn't panned out. Ramsey looked a step slow all season, eventually moving to safety because he couldn't keep up with the burners on the outside anymore.
Against the Texans, the plan was to hide Ramsey on Christian Kirk, but Kirk went off for 144 yards. Every time the Texans needed a big play on third-and-long, they found Kirk against the Steelers' secondary. Ramsey is under contract through 2028 with some massive cap hits coming up, and honestly, the front office might have a "buyer's remorse" situation on their hands.
Aaron Rodgers: Was it Worth It?
Rodgers finished the season with 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, which looks fine on paper. But when the lights were brightest, the offense was stagnant. Six points in a playoff game? Zero touchdowns?
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Rodgers looked every bit of 42 on Monday night. The pick-six to Calen Bullock was a throw he usually makes in his sleep, but the zip just wasn't there. If this was his last game—and he's hinted it might be—it was a quiet, sad exit for a legend. The "all-in" move to bring him to Pittsburgh resulted in the same thing the team had with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph: a first-round exit.
Looking Ahead: The Post-Tomlin Vacuum
So, where do we go from here? The steelers winners and losers list shows a team that is top-heavy with aging stars and desperately thin on young, cheap talent in the middle of the roster.
With Mike Tomlin stepping down, the "Steelers Way" is officially under review. Omar Khan has been aggressive, but the results on the field haven't caught up to the splashes in the headlines. The next head coach isn't just taking over a team; they're taking over a culture that has been the most stable in sports for half a century.
Immediate Next Steps for the Front Office:
- The Search for the Fourth Coach: Since 1969, the Steelers have had Noll, Cowher, and Tomlin. The next hire is the most important decision Art Rooney II will ever make. They need someone who can modernize the offense while keeping that defensive edge.
- Evaluate the QB Room: If Rodgers retires or the team decides to move on, do they trust Will Howard? Or is it back to the draft board?
- Cap Casualties: They have to look at the Jalen Ramsey contract. Cutting him after June 1st could save space, but the dead cap hit is a pill they might have to swallow to fix the roster.
The era of "The Standard" just changed. Whether that's for better or worse depends on what happens in the next three months.
Actionable Insight: Keep a close eye on the early coaching interviews. The Steelers rarely leak info, but the names that surface will tell you if they are looking for a total rebuild or one last run with the current veteran core. If they go with a "Tomlin Disciple," expect more of the same. If they go for a young offensive mind from the McVay or Shanahan tree, the Rodgers era is likely over.