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Aaron Rodgers left what could be his final postgame press conference after being asked a second straight question about Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers were defeated 30-6 by the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card game Monday night at Acrisure Field. Disappointment over the loss prompted questions about Tomlin’s job security, which was called into question during this season’s struggles.
Rodgers, 42, has spoken at length in support of not only Tomlin, but also his former head coach from his time with the Green Bay Packers, Matt LaFleur.
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin leaves the field with Aaron Rodgers (8) of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a 29-24 victory against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The match took place in Detroit, Michigan on December 21, 2025. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
“I mean, this league has changed a lot in my 21 years. You know, when you hear about the Mike Tomlins of the world, the Matt LaFleurs of the world, those are just two of the coaches that I played for. And when I came into the league, there would be no conversation about whether those guys were on the hot seat,” Rodgers told reporters after the game.
“But the way the league is covered now and the way there are snap decisions and validity given to Twitter pundits and all the TV pundits now that make it seem like they know what they’re talking about. To me, it’s an absolute joke. And for either of those two guys to be in the hot seat is really about where we are as a society and as a league.”
“Because, obviously, Matt has done a lot of great things in Green Bay, and we’ve had a lot of success. Mike T has had more success than anyone in the league over the last 19 to 20 years. And more than that, when you have the right guy and the culture is right, you don’t think about making a change. But there’s a lot of pressure that comes from the outside and obviously that influences decisions from time to time, but that’s not how I would do things and not how was the league.”
Aaron Rodgers retirement intrigue begins after playoff loss
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers speaks during a press conference after an NFL playoff football game against the Houston Texans. The press conference took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on January 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Rodgers was then asked another question about what he learned from Tomlin this season.
“I’ve answered this several times. I’ve talked at length about how I feel about Mike and I just did it in this damn response. Thank you,” Rodgers said as he got up from the podium and walked out of the press conference.
The Steelers’ playoff loss was the Steelers’ seventh straight playoff loss. The seven-game losing streak under Tomlin tied an NFL record for the longest playoff losing streak in league history for a head coach. Former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is the other coach with seven straight playoff losses.
Rodgers said he would not let the outcome of the match decide his playing future.
“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said. “I’m disappointed. It’s been such a fun year. Obviously, a lot of adversity, but a lot of fun.”
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. The match took place in Cleveland, Ohio on December 28, 2025. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)
The four-time NFL MVP said he’s going to work through it and have the right conversations before making a decision on his playing future.
During his outstanding career, Rodgers totaled 66,274 passing yards and 527 passing touchdowns in 264 games. He amassed 163 regular season wins in 257 starts as a quarterback.
Rodgers spent 18 seasons with the Packers, two with the New York Jets and one with the Steelers.
