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Ben Roethlisberger pleads for Aaron Rodgers to call own plays, blasts Steelers for not getting Pat Freiermuth involved vs. Texans

Meby: Nick Geddes01/13/26NickGeddesNews

The Pittsburgh Steelers were eliminated from the 2025 postseason after their 30-6 AFC Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. It was a tough night in particular for the Steelers’ offense against the league’s No. 1 ranked defense.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh trailing 17-6, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger openly called for Aaron Rodgers to disconnect his headset and start calling his own plays. Roethlisberger, speaking on the “ManningCast,” was interrupted by tight Pat Freiermuth making his first catch of the game. He blasted his former team for not getting Freiermuth more involved in the offense.

“If I’m Aaron, I’m disconnecting my headset and I’m just calling my own plays. Picking up the pace, no huddle, getting the ball out,” Roethlisberger said. “… That’s the guy I would get the ball — Freiermuth. Like, where’s he’s been? I don’t understand, I got to play one year with him and he reminded me of Heath Miller. He was a lot like Heath, just a ballplayer, understood the game, knew how to get open. … I don’t understand why we don’t utilize him more, especially in the middle of the field.”

Steelers soundly defeated by Texans in AFC Wild Card Round

This one got out of hand in the fourth quarter as the Texans outscored the Steelers 23-0 in the final 15 minutes of play. Pittsburgh’s offense was ineffective for the full 60 minutes and shut out completely in the second half. They compiled just 175 total yards of offense and Freiermuth, despite being a reliable target throughout his Steelers career, once again took a backseat to Jonnu Smith.

Pittsburgh’s 2025 season is officially over. The Steelers have now lost seven consecutive playoff games dating back to the 2016 campaign. The Texans, meanwhile, picked up their first road playoff win in franchise history.

Now, the attention turns to the offseason and what’s next for the Steelers. This could have been the final game of Rodgers’ Hall of Fame career. The future of head coach Mike Tomlin is very much uncertain.

There’s a lot to think about in Pittsburgh. The entire organization, as well as its fanbase, would like to forget about Monday night.