Steelers Team MVP Candidates in 2026

New DC Patrick Graham Could Ignite Watt

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published May 6, 2026, 9:02 AM

After nearly two decades under former head coach Mike Tomlin, the franchise has turned the page with Pittsburgh native and longtime NFL coach Mike McCarthy now running the operation on the South Side.

That shift alone changes the atmosphere around the organization, but it also opens the door for several players to emerge as the emotional pulse of the team. Every Steelers team that mattered had one. The guy teammates followed. The guy fans connected with. The player who reflected the edge and personality of the locker room.

The candidates this year could come from anywhere because the identity of the 2026 Steelers remains unfinished until they take the field in Week 1.

Offensive Targets for Team MVP

Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback (Unsigned)

The reunion of McCarthy and Rodgers, combined with arguably the best collection of receiving talent Pittsburgh has had since the later years of Ben Roethlisberger, could immediately elevate the offense. Rodgers still throws one of the better deep balls in football, and the familiarity with McCarthy’s structure would eliminate much of the adjustment period usually tied to veteran quarterbacks joining new teams.

If the Steelers are winning meaningful games in December, Rodgers are likely to become the face of the turnaround. His decision still hangs over the organization, but if he signs and performs at a high level, Pittsburgh instantly becomes more dangerous offensively.

Drew Allar, Quarterback

If Rodgers never signs or misses extended time, the spotlight immediately shifts to Allar. That’s the reality attached to drafting a quarterback from Penn State with prototype size and arm strength in a football state starving for long-term answers at the position.

The Steelers selected Allar in the third round knowing the pressure would follow instantly. Every preseason throw, every training camp rep, and every sideline reaction will be magnified. If Allar flashes poise and command early, the excitement surrounding him could become overwhelming in Pittsburgh. The franchise has spent years searching for stability after Roethlisberger retired. Fair or not, many fans already view Allar as the next possible chapter.

Germie Bernard, Wide Receiver

Veterans DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. bring proven production, but Bernard enters the season as the young offensive wildcard with legitimate intrigue.

The Steelers aggressively explored receiver options throughout the draft process, including reported interest in wideout Makai Lemon before he landed elsewhere. Pittsburgh clearly wanted to inject more speed, separation ability, and run-after-catch explosiveness into the offense.

Bernard now enters a room where opportunity exists. The Steelers haven’t had a true young offensive spark at receiver emerge organically in several years. Ironically, the last young receiver to completely capture the city may have been JuJu Smith-Schuster during his breakout 2018 campaign when he earned team MVP honors.

If Bernard becomes a reliable playmaker early, fans will gravitate toward him quickly.

Defensive MVP Should Hover Around These Guys

T.J. Watt, Outside Linebacker

New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham spent years maximizing the versatility of Maxx Crosby with the Raiders, moving him around to create favorable matchups and stress protections. Pittsburgh could take a similar approach with Watt.

Even entering his age-32 season, Watt remains the centerpiece of the Steelers defense. His ability to collapse pockets, disrupt timing, and create splash plays still changes games. But Graham’s arrival could unlock different layers of Watt’s game through disguise packages, movement fronts, and more aggressive alignment usage.

If healthy, Watt still has the ability to dominate a season and remain the emotional heartbeat of the defense.

Joey Porter Jr., Defensive Back

Few players naturally embody Pittsburgh the way Porter Jr. does. He plays with swagger, physicality, and visible emotion while carrying one of the more respected family names in franchise history thanks to former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter.

Porter Jr. steadily developed into one of the most important young defenders on the roster last season, and there’s growing belief he can become a true foundational piece in the secondary. The Steelers want more edge and attitude defensively under Graham, and Porter Jr. already plays with both. If Pittsburgh’s defense rediscovers its identity in 2026, Porter Jr. will likely sit at the center of it.