With one of their strongest rosters in years, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026. But not everyone is buying into the positivity. ESPN’s Kevin Clark is sounding the alarm for those expecting Pittsburgh to take a step forward.

When asked which team he is most concerned about in 2026, Clark didn’t hesitate to answer.

“It’s the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Clark said Thursday via ESPN’s First Take. “Last week, we talked about teams where I see the check-engine light…I am in the body shop—I’m concerned about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“First of all, you look at some of these numbers last year for Aaron Rodgers, who is one of the most talented guys who’s ever played the position. Still has a lot of good qualities, but he threw the ball quicker and shorter than basically anybody on record in the history of football last year. I don’t think that was an Arthur Smith stat. I don’t think that was a receiver stat, even though he has better receivers this year. I think it was an age stat.”

At nearly 43 years old, Rodgers is fighting against history. Very few have tried to play quarterback in the NFL at that age, and only Tom Brady has succeeded in any meaningful way. If Rodgers’ issues are a direct result of his unwillingness to get hit and his inability to move, then the quick release and short throws won’t improve in 2026. If anything, they may get worse.

If age is the issue, Bill Walsh himself could be calling the offense, and it wouldn’t matter. The Steelers could assemble Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, and Antonio Brown as their receiving corps, and it still wouldn’t fix the underlying problem. If Rodgers’ limitations force the offense into a “catch short, run long” approach, Pittsburgh won’t suddenly become one of the league’s most explosive passing units.

“You add in the fact that Mike Tomlin is leaving, and Mike McCarthy is not anywhere close to Mike Tomlin as a coach in my book,” Clark said. “You also add in the fact that the strength of the franchise has been defense for a long time, and that seemed to be trending in the wrong direction last year.

“So I’m just looking at this and if we’re talking about teams that maybe aren’t gonna repeat the success that they had last year, they’re at the top of my list.”

The Tomlin vs. McCarthy point is an interesting debate. Prior to Pittsburgh hiring McCarthy, I pretty easily would have argued Tomlin. Perhaps Tomlin is better overall, but there’s something to be said about a fresh perspective in the locker room, and the chance at a step forward offensively that can reenergize a roster that many felt underperformed last year.

If the roster truly was underperforming relative to its talent level, that would imply the possibility of a step forward. But just as easily it could fall apart. Change doesn’t automatically mean improvement.

For those of us who have hope for an improved Steelers team this year, most of that lies in the possibility of Mike McCarthy working his magic and turning this into a legitimate NFL offense. But if Rodgers’ age is really the culprit, then maybe we should be sounding the alarm bell.

If the offense functions much the same as it did a year ago due to Rodgers’ declining abilities, then it’s up to the defense to make strides. That’s obviously a concern given last year’s monumental disappointment, but new DC Patrick Graham and an improved depth chart bring some hope.

The Steelers have spent the offseason betting that last year’s struggles are fixable. They changed coaches, added weapons around Rodgers, and invested in improving a defense that fell short of expectations.

If Clark is right, Pittsburgh is dealing with a problem that isn’t fixable.