The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in a state of purgatory over the last several seasons. A lot of that has to do with the constant uncertainty at the quarterback position. Every football fan knows it is nearly impossible to compete in the NFL without a top-tier, franchise quarterback. The Steelers lost their franchise quarterback following the 2021 season when Ben Roethlisberger decided to retire. Pittsburgh didn't necessarily have a plan for after Roethlisberger, and the organization is currently paying the price.
Roethlisberger was the quarterback for the Steelers from 2004 through 2021, and he was one of the best in the NFL over that stretch. It was obvious that he was nearing the end of his career, especially after suffering a serious elbow injury in 2019. Rather than begin to plan for life after Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh decided to plunge forward with the veteran quarterback, which began this era of mediocrity. Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe spoke about Pittsburgh's quarterback situation on his show, Nightcap.
"When Ben was getting old, not the last year, but when Ben was getting old, did they go out and get another quarterback? When [Brett] Favre was getting old, what did the Packers do? They went and got [Aaron] Rodgers. When Rodgers was getting old, what did they do? They went out and got Jordan Love. When Ben Roethlisberger was getting old, what did they do? They let him wither on the vine. That's [Mike] Tomlin."
Sharpe points the finger at Head Coach Mike Tomlin for the mismanagement of the quarterback position, however it is important to note that Pittsburgh did address that problem in 2018. During the NFL Draft, the Steelers selected Mason Rudolph in the third round, and there were hopes that he could be the successor to Roethlisberger. That did not work out for the organization, and Pittsburgh is still searching for consistency at the position.
Pittsburgh immediately tried to find a replacement for Roethlisberger in the 2022 NFL Draft, as the organization selected Kenny Pickett in the first round. This didn't work out and Pickett was traded after two seasons, and the quarterback just won Super Bowl LIX with the Philadelphia Eagles as a backup.
Rudolph had some good performances in Pittsburgh, but he never truly had a shot of being the next franchise quarterback for the Steelers. The Green Bay Packers are the franchise that Sharpe mentioned while criticizing Tomlin, as they selected Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love in the first round of their respective drafts, while still having a top-tier quarterback on the roster.
Green Bay selected Rodgers with the 24th overall pick in 2005, and Brett Favre went on to start until the 2008 season. The same thing happened with Love in 2020, who was selected 26th overall. Rodgers remained the starter for the next two seasons before Love took over.
The decision to select Rodgers with a premiere pick while still having Favre was the right decision, and it is looking like the Packers made another right move in drafting Love. Pittsburgh never had any intentions of getting a backup plan for Roethlisberger like this, and that is mainly Tomlin's fault as he is rumored to be responsible for nearly every roster decision.
Steelers Still Deciding On Quarterback For 2025
The starting quarterback for the Steelers in 2025 is expected to be either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, but the organization is also expected to look at other avenues of acquiring a quarterback. Pittsburgh will likely look to find some value at the position on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, and it can also explore the trade market as well.
Fields should be the obvious decision when it comes to a starter for 2025. He is considerably younger and cheaper than Wilson, and his mobility adds a layer of diversity to the offense. Pittsburgh wouldn't have to make much of a financial commitment to Fields, and he is young enough to be considered the future of the franchise.
