While some teams are blessed with a smooth transition from aging veteran to the next big thing, the Pittsburgh Steelers are on a different path.
The quarterback position is one of the most important in all sports, and easily the most important in football. An elite quarterback can turn a mediocre offense into a scoring machine.
Ben Roethlisberger reigned supreme in Pittsburgh for the better part of the 2000s and the entirety of the 2010s, leading the Steelers to eight AFC North titles and two Super Bowl victories. Roethlisberger was a special player for the franchise, which, unfortunately, left a huge hole to fill following his retirement in 2022.
Since Big Ben’s departure, the Steelers have gone through five quarterbacks—none of whom panned out. Kenny Pickett, drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, was expected to be the starter for the next decade. However, he had an underwhelming rookie season and followed it up with more of the same in year two, ultimately leading to his trade to Philadelphia during the 2024 offseason.
Russell Wilson as a Steeler (photo courtesy PennLive)
Before the 2024 season, the Steelers brought in two quarterbacks, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Justin Fields, a young player with immense potential, started the first six games of the season, going 4–2 and throwing only one interception. The second was Russell Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection who had regressed since leaving Seattle. Wilson took over in Week 7 and went 6–4, though his stint ended with four straight losses.
Both quarterbacks were set to become free agents, leaving Pittsburgh with a significant decision: keep the young, promising quarterback or the older, declining veteran. Seems like an easy choice, right? Wrong. The Steelers chose a secret third option—signing the backup quarterback from the league’s worst team, the Tennessee Titans, instead of re-signing either of their own.
Shedeur Sanders (photo courtesy CBS Sports)
While everyone seems to be freaking out about what Pittsburgh is going to do next, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Omar Khan remain level-headed. The Steelers are in a prime position to sign Aaron Rodgers on a one-year rental and draft one of three quarterbacks: Cam Ward (Miami, FL), Shedeur Sanders (Colorado), or Jaxson Dart (Ole’ Miss).
While Pittsburgh likely won’t have the chance to select Ward, both Sanders and Dart are within reach. Pittsburgh may need to trade up slightly to get Sanders, but the move would be well worth it. Shedeur, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, is a highly talented quarterback with elite ball placement and exceptional mobility.
With receivers like D.K. Metcalf and George Pickens, he should be able to transition to the NFL quickly. On the other hand, Jaxson Dart has been climbing draft boards faster than any other quarterback. He possibly possesses the strongest arm in the draft and, like Sanders, is highly mobile. Dart is a bit less flashy than Sanders, which might make him more appealing to a team like Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh fans and the media need to calm down the quarterback panic and trust Omar Khan to handle the situation.
