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Aaron Rodgers walked out of 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. The disappointment of the loss raised questions about Tomlin’s job security, which has been in doubt during this season’s struggles.
Rodgers, 42, spoke 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 walks off the field with Aaron Rodgers (8) of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a 29-24 victory against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The game 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 conversations about the Mike Tomlins of the world, the Matt LaFleurs of the world, those are just two of the coaches I’ve played for. And when I first came into the league, there would be no conversation about those guys being on the bench,” Rodgers told reporters after the game.
“But the way the league is covered now and the way there are quick decisions and the validity given to the pundits on Twitter and all the pundits on TV now that make it look like they know what the hell they’re talking about. To me, that’s an absolute joke. And for either of those two guys to be on the bench is really appropriate for 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 had a lot of success. Mike T has had more success than anyone in the league over the last 19 or 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 it’s not how I would do things and not how the league used to be.”
THE INTRIGA OF AARON RODGERS’ RETIREMENT BEGINS AFTER THE PLAYOFF LOSS
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers speaks during a press conference after an NFL wild card 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 that several times. I’ve talked at length about how I feel about Mike and I just did it in that damn answer. Thank you,” Rodgers said as he stood from the podium and left the news conference.
The Steelers’ playoff loss was their seventh consecutive postseason 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 consecutive playoff losses.
Rodgers said he would not let the outcome of the game decide his future as a player.
“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said. “I’m disappointed. It was a really 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 game took place in Cleveland, Ohio on December 28, 2025. (Ken Blaze/Image Images)
The four-time NFL MVP said he will get away and have the right conversations before making a decision about his playing future.
In his outstanding career, Rodgers threw for 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.
