Ben Roethlisberger Predicts Steelers Offense Could Average 30-Plus Points Per Game in 2026

Ben Roethlisberger thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers offense is about to look a lot different in 2026 — and a lot more dangerous. The Hall of Fame-bound quarterback said on a recent episode of his “Footbahlin’ with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast that he believes Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers have the pieces to average more than 30 points a game this season, according to Steelers Wire.

“With stud receivers, in an offense that he knows and loves and isn’t designed on three and four tight ends and running the ball, there is a good chance that we will see 30 plus points every game this year,” Roethlisberger said, per LeeAnn Lowman of Steelers Wire. “Every coach just wants to win, but some coaches want to like outscore you and do that.”

That’s a bold number. Only one team in the entire NFL topped 30 points per game last season — the Los Angeles Rams, who finished at 30.5. No team in NFL history has ever averaged 30-plus points in every single game across a full season. Roethlisberger isn’t predicting a record. He’s predicting a leap.

Why Roethlisberger Believes Rodgers Is Set Up to Succeed

The optimism traces back to continuity. Rodgers is entering his second season in Pittsburgh, but his first working under head coach Mike McCarthy, who reportedly played a direct role in bringing McCarthy to Pittsburgh after Mike Tomlin stepped down following the team’s wild-card loss to the Houston Texans in January. Rodgers and McCarthy spent 13 seasons together in Green Bay, including a Super Bowl run, and Roethlisberger sees that shorthand as a real advantage heading into the season.

“Having Aaron in an offense that he knows, you’ve given him weapons that are to die for,” Roethlisberger added. “The line is a year better. You’ve added depth there.”

Pittsburgh spent the offseason adding to that receiving room, acquiring wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. from the Indianapolis Colts to pair with DK Metcalf, and the team’s first 2026 depth chart lists Rodgers atop a quarterback room that includes Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar, according to the Steelers’ official team site.

What the Numbers Say Right Now

Last season, under Tomlin, Rodgers and the Steelers offense didn’t come close to that kind of production. Here’s how Pittsburgh’s attack ranked in 2025:

Getting from 23.4 points a game to 30-plus would be a jump of roughly seven points a contest — a significant swing in either direction of an NFL season. It’s the kind of improvement that typically requires better health, a cleaner scheme fit and more explosive plays down the field, all things McCarthy’s staff is banking on with an offense built around vertical passing rather than heavy tight-end sets.

The Bigger Picture for McCarthy’s First Season

This isn’t the only rosy prediction Roethlisberger has made about the 2026 Steelers. He’s also predicted a 12-5 record for Pittsburgh this year, up from last year’s 10-7 finish, and said on the same podcast that he views the Steelers as a legitimate playoff — and even Super Bowl — contender. Rodgers, who turns 43 in December, threw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season while completing 65.7% of his passes.

Whether the offense actually gets there is a different question than whether it should be better. Pittsburgh is banking on continuity at quarterback and scheme, an improved receiving corps, and a full offseason under McCarthy instead of a late-arriving one. Training camp is underway at Saint Vincent College, and the Steelers open their three-game preseason slate against Rodgers’ former team, the Green Bay Packers, on Aug. 13, with McCarthy indicating Rodgers is expected to see meaningful preseason snaps for the first time in his Pittsburgh tenure.

None of that guarantees 30-plus points a night. But it’s the foundation Roethlisberger is pointing to when he says the ceiling on this offense is higher than it’s been in years.