The Pittsburgh Steelers walked off the field at Acrisure Stadium after a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in January. Just like that, their season was over. The game remained within reach until the fourth quarter, when two Houston defensive touchdowns turned a competitive matchup into a much uglier final score.
Despite the loss, disappointment lingered throughout the organization and among the fan base. After 10 seasons without a postseason victory, head coach Mike Tomlin elected to retire the following day. It could have been different.
The Athletic recently published a story centered around quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Among the topics discussed, Rodgers revealed details about the Steelers’ wild-card loss, including that he was battling the flu. He was even sent home at one point but ultimately decided to give it a shot. It may have been the final game of his career, ending a brilliant run on a nauseating note.
Rodgers’ ‘flu game’ was tough to watch
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
If you watched the Steelers’ offensive performance that night, you may have felt sick yourself. It was a brutal showing. Somehow, though, Pittsburgh remained within striking distance until the fourth quarter. The defense bucked the trend of early playoff collapses and kept the team alive throughout the game.
It was obvious Rodgers was not operating at the same level he displayed the previous week. At the same time, the Texans defense was far better than the Baltimore Ravens unit the Steelers faced in the regular-season finale. It was a perfect storm, and Houston really needed only seven offensive points to secure the victory.
Rodgers had seriously considered retirement. However, between Mike McCarthy’s hiring and the way his final game unfolded, it’s understandable why he decided to return for another season.
Can Rodgers have a better ending in 2026?
Was it truly a flu game, or was it simply a Steelers offense that was overmatched? The answer is probably a little bit of both. The Texans dominated Pittsburgh’s offensive line, and the Steelers entered the matchup with only two legitimate receiving threats. Rodgers had little room for error, and the circumstances made success even more difficult. After an offseason of retooling, that could change in 2026.
McCarthy is certainly a more aggressive offensive-minded head coach than what Pittsburgh had last season. However, he also finished with a 1-3 record as the Dallas Cowboys’ head coach before his departure. The encouraging part is that Rodgers understands McCarthy’s offensive system better than almost anyone.
That does not guarantee everything will click the way it did during their time together in Green Bay, but it gives Pittsburgh a chance to find that success again. Rodgers’ final season could provide an opportunity to replace the memories of the flu game with a much better ending.
Will 2026 end differently?
