Tag Archives: Charlie Batch

4 Solutions to the Steelers Quarterback Depth Chart “Math” Problem

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If there’s one thing you can say about the internet, it’s that it is predictable. Aaron Rodgers signing ended the daily “Will HE? Or Won’t HE?” “updates” that bombarded us.

But now that Aaron Rodgers is in the fold, fretters still have to fret, so on comes the next “crisis,” namely the Steelers quarterback depth chart math problem.

Aaron Rodgers’ return gives the Steelers four quarterbacks, with veteran backup Mason Rudolph, second year man Will Howard, and 2026 3rd round draft pick Drew Allar.

How in the world will the Steelers manage 4 quarterbacks?

What kind of monster have Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy created for themselves…?

  • OR something like that. And it’s all nonsense.

The Steelers have dealt with this situation before, as recently as 2018, when they had Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Joshua Dobbs and Mason Rudolph.

The answer to resolving this four quarterback quandary is the same now as it was then: Let reality unfold at its own pace.

With that understood, there are 4 possible outcomes, none of which should force anyone to fret.

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs in the spring of 2026

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

1. Attrition May Make Decisions for Mike McCarthy

Let’s be clear. No NFL coach or General Manager ever wants injuries to make decisions for him. But it happens all the time.

  • Omar Khan alluded to this in his post-draft press conference.

Even though quarterbacks don’t get hit in training camp, the Steelers have seen plenty of quarterbacks injured during the summer.

  • Summer injuries cost Charlie Batch both the 2004 and 2008 seasons.

The Steelers were planning to start Byron Leftwich during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension in 2010, but Leftwich got hurt. Dennis Dixon started the season and got hurt, and up stepped Charlie Batch – So it was a good thing the Steelers had 4 quarterbacks at their disposal, wasn’t it?

A year later, the Steelers brought the same quartet to St. Vincents, only to have Dennis Dixon get injured and lost for the season – again, math problem solved.

Bruce Gradkowski got hurt in camp in 2015, leading Michael Vick’s stint with the Steelers. Depth is a luxury in the NFL, not a liability. Quarterback is no exception.

2. Let the Preseason Play Speak for Itself

Football isn’t like amateur wrestling, you can’t just wrestle off two quarterbacks to see who is better. But quarterback competitions can tell you a lot.

  • And right now, I’d guess that Mike McCarthy really wishes he was playing 4 preseason games.

[Cue the Dana Carvey-like Grumpy Old Man rant about how NFL errs by devaluing preseason.]

The upside to only having 3 preseason games is that Aaron Rodgers probably won’t play in any of  them, so it frees up reps for everyone else. That should be enough for Rudolph to get his feet wet with the McCarthy’s offense while giving the coaches a good look at Howard and Allar in varied situations.

Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Mason Rudolph, Joshua Dobbs, Steelers 4 quarterbacks

Can the Steelers keep 4 quarterbacks in 2018? Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Mike Tomlin let his 3 quarterbacks duke it out in summer of 2018 and at the end he decided to cut Landry Jones. Given that Jones was the only backup quarterback with NFL experience, the move raised eyebrows.

But Jones never threw another NFL pass, while Dobbs and Mason Rudolph have made a 34 NFL starts between them.

3. Steelers Have Kept 4 Quarterbacks Before. Why Not Again?

Keeping 4 quarterbacks is unorthodox. But it has been done before. The New England Patriots began the 1989 season with 4 quarterbacks on their active roster, and all four made starts.

The Steelers of course kept 4 quarterbacks in 1995, when they had Neil O’Donnell, Mike Tomczak, Jim Miller and Kordell Stewart. Less well-remembered is 1999, when they did it again keeping Stewart, Tomczak, Pete Gonzalez, and Anthony Wright,. the Steelers “forgotten 4th quarterback.”

Anthony Wright, Steelers

Anthony Wright the Steelers forgotten 4th String Quarterback. Photo Credit: Peter Diana, Post-Gazette

The roster math behind 4 quarterbacks is certainly complicated here in 2026, but Mike McCarthy will have an easier time today than Bill Cowher and Tom Donahoe did in 1995.

For starters, Bill Cowher kept Rod Woodson on the active roster throughout the Steelers 1995 season. And, unlike today, injured reserve ended a player’s season.

So Bill Cowher kept 4 quarterbacks AND an injured player on the active roster all season long and still made it to Super Bowl XXX. So keeping 4 quarterbacks can be done. And if not…

Speaking of injured reserve….

4. Follow the Washington Redshirts’ Example

In the pre-salary cap of the 1980’s Washington was notorious for stashing players on injured reserve. Joe Gibbs and Bobby Bethard had it down to a science.

One ESPN commentator went so far as to refer to them as the “Washington Redshirts.”

They did this with players at every position, but they excelled at doing it with quarterbacks. Both Mark Rypien and Stan Humphries had “Redshirt seasons” on Washington’s IR before going on to start Super Bowls.

So if both Howard and Allar show promise in the summer well then, one of them could end up pulling a groin in late August, couldn’t he….?

The Pittsburgh Steelers will arrive at St. Vincents with a quarterback math problem. But it is a good problem to have and one with several solutions. Let’s just let reality unfold at its own pace.

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Mike Tomlin Steelers Legacy: 19 Years of Winning in Pittsburgh

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Mike Tomlin left the Pittsburgh Steelers the same way he arrived – unheralded and unanticipated.

When Bill Cowher called it a day after the Steelers 2006 season, everyone knew either Russ Grimm or Ken Whisenhunt would get the job. Art Rooney II admitted that he didn’t expect to hire yet Mike Tomlin when he walked in the door, but Tomlin knocked his and Dan Rooney’s socks off.

By the same token, Art Rooney wasn’t expecting Mike Tomlin to step away following the loss to the Texans. But step away he has. Here we review Mike Tomlin’s full legacy as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, balancing his accomplishments and shortcomings, all framed within their historical context.

Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin Franco Harris Jersey, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomlin wearing a Franco Harris jersey. Photo Credit: Fred Vuich, AP via St. Albert Gazette

2007 – 2010: Cementing the Franchise Legacy

Few NFL coaches get handed the keys to a Super Bowl team.

If you think that winning is “simple” for them then please Google Phil Bengtson, Ray Handley and Richie Petitbon. A coach who takes the reins of a Super Bowl-caliber team must do much more than “not mess up.”

As Willie Colon explains, “It’s hard to grab the keys to the Porsche and not crash it.”

In his first season, Mike Tomlin took an underperforming team that had gone 8-8 in 2006 and led them to a 10-6 record and an AFC North Championship.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller to bring the Steelers within 5 points. Mike Tomlin went for two. Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward bringing narrowing the difference to three.

Except Sean Mahan got flagged for holding. Tomlin didn’t bat an eye and went for two again. But this time, Roethlisberger couldn’t connect.

  • The Steelers did score again. But so did the Jaguars who won the game 31 to 29.

The move was controversial at the time, but with social media in its infancy the fan rage muted by 2026 standards.

But by doubling down in going for 2, Mike Tomlin established his legacy as a head coach who would put games in the hands of his players and trust them to deliver with the game on the line.

With the Arizona Cardinals threatening to take the lead as the first half closed, James Harrison, granted the freedom to freelance by Tomlin and Dick LeBeau, audibled out of his pass rush assignment and dropped into coverage. 100 yards later Harrison authored the longest run in Super Bowl history, putting the Steelers up 17 to 7.

james harrison, super bowl xliii, interception, record, pick six

James Harrison’s dramatic interception in Super Bowl XLIII

By the time more points were needed to put Pittsburgh back in the lead, the culture of trust and confidence in one another Tomlin had built proved to be the difference maker, as observed at the time:

the Steelers poise and camaraderie were consistent for four quarters. The men in Black and Gold never lost their belief in themselves nor their faith in one another. When faced with adversity, they persevered, they remained determined. And they did it together. That’s been the case all season.

And that’s what made them Super Bowl champions.

The Steelers 2009 season will and should be remembered for the Super Bowl hangover Tomlin tried and failed to avoid.

  • But 2009 revealed something important about Tomlin: His ability to rally a down team.

Memories have faded, but Tomlin’s Steelers never looked worse than they did during 2009’s 5-game losing streak. Yet, Tomlin rallied them for 3 straight wins.

In 2010, the Steelers suffered one of their worst off seasons ever as the word “Midgeville” entered the vernacular. Willie Colon was lost for the season in June. With Ben Roethlisberger suspended for 4 games, Tomlin brought Byron Leftwich back to Pittsburgh. Leftwich broke his leg in preseason.

By week, 2 Mike Tomlin was playing Charlie Batch, effectively his 4th string quarterback, and traveling to Tennessee, starting UDFA Steve McLeodon over Casey Hampton and authoring arguably the greatest defensive performance in franchise history.

  • By the time 2010 ended, the Steelers were in their 3 Super Bowl in 6 years.

Super Bowl XLV ended with a loss , but that didn’t change the fact that as new decade began, it was no longer a question of 4 Super Bowls for Chuck Noll and 1 for Bill Cowher, it was 6 Super Bowls for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Kevin Colbert observed.

2011 – 2017: The Under Appreciated Rebuild

Mike Tomlin isn’t the only coach to take over a Super Bowl team and win another Lombardi. But continuing to win for more a couple-of-three seasons is much more challenging.

  • Just ask Barry Switzer or Mike Martz.

Yet, despite the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement leaving the Steelers in Salary Cap purgatory, Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert managed .500 seasons in 2012 and again in 2013 – after a 2-4 start no less. The 2012 season stands out for one simple reason – it contains the only Mike Tomlin-coached game where the Steelers were eliminated from playoff contention.

  • By 2014 the Steelers returned to the playoffs, as they did in 2015 and 2016.

As observed elsewhere on this site, the Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown only played 3 of a possible 7 playoff games together.

Steelers Killer Bees, Steelers Killer Bs, Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell

The Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Photo Credit: pegitboard.com

(Rhetorical question “How might Chuck Noll have fared had Bradshaw, Franco, Swann and Stallworth been similarly unavailable for his playoff runs?”)

Injuries aside, by the time the Steelers reached the 2016 AFC Championship game, the only three players who remained from the 2008 Super Bowl squad were James Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger and long snapper Greg Warren.

Yes, Tom Brady seared the Steelers that night in New England, but the fact that Mike Tomlin got his team there with three rookies defensive starters, without Cam Heyward in the lineup and with Robert Golden logging 36% of the defensive snaps speaks volumes about his coaching acumen.

Steelers vs Patriots, Steelers vs Patriots 2016 AFC Championship, Javon Hargrave, Tom Brady

Javon Hargrave sacks Tom Brady early in the ’16 AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Charles Krupa, AP via Mercury News.

As badly as another AFC Championship loss to the Patriots stung, the Steelers seemed to be back.

Alas, tragedy would close the Super Bowl window that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had re-opened 12 games later, when Ryan Shazier fell to the turf paralyzed from the waist down at Paul Brown Stadium.

From there on out, Mike Tomlin would be forced to do more with less.

Interlude: Tomlin’s Warts — Assistant Coaches and Talent Evaluation

And there’s a reason why Tomlin had to do more with less. As Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher did before him, Mike Tomlin had his flaws.

The infamous post-penalty 2-point conversion foreshadowed one of them. Sean Mahan was called for holding, and he’d been hand-picked by Mike Tomlin from Tampa Bay. Mahan traded away at a fire-sale price next September.

  • That raised the question on why Tomlin chose to bring Mahan to Pittsburgh in the first place.

Yes, Mike Tomlin managed to pluck Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt at the bottom of the first round. He and his scouts found gems like Antonio Brown and Kelvin Beachum in the 6th and 7th rounds.

But as the Steelers struggled to Re-Load for Ben Roethlisberger, they swung and missed badly as any sober evaluation of their 2018, 2019, and 2020 draft classes reveals. 2021 wasn’t much better, but Salary Cap Armageddon, combined with injuries and surprise retirements, forced them  to reach to fill needs.

D.K. Metcalf, Terrell Edmunds, Steelers vs Seahawks

D.K. Metcalf burns Terrell Edmunds for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Yahoo.com

This isn’t the sole responsibility of Mike Tomlin, but his voice was at the ver least, the first among equals in the draft war room.

  • In contrast, Mike Tomlin did have a free hand in picking assistant coaches.

Let’s be objective and acknowledge Mike Munchak, Danny Smith, Karl Dunbar, Richard Mann, Al Everest and, arguably, Todd Haley as good hires.

But those were balanced out by the Bob Ligasheskys, Amos Joness, Carnell Lakes and Joey Porter Sr’s (anyone notice how Bud Dupree blossomed when Keith Butler returned to the linebackers room?) Tomlin changed offensive line coaches not named Munchak the way everyone else changes underwear.

His signature attempt to cultivate an innovative coaching talent was Matt Canada. Canada holds the infamous distinction of being the only Steelers coordinator to be fired mid-season in the modern era.

Selecting assistant coaches wasn’t Tomin’s strength, and this weakness weighed him down.

2018 – 2025 – Doing More with Less

The post-Shazier/playoff drought phase of Tomlin tenure will remain a lightning rod for generations. So be it.

  • Here the focus is on what Mike Tomlin achieved as instead of what he failed to achieve.

Three examples highlight Tomlin’s skill as both a leader and as a football tactician: Quarterbacks, the 2021 season and the 2025 season.

Quarterbacks

The Steelers franchise deserves all the criticism it gets for bungling the post-Roethlisberger transition. I can’t prove it, but I suspect Mike Tomlin wanted to draft Lamar Jackson but got beaten to the punch.

Be that as it may, following Roethlisberger’s injury in 2019, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers all started for the Steelers.

Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

Do Coach-quarterback records say more about the coach or the QB? Who knows? Either way they yield valuable insights such as:

  • Don Shula reached a Super Bowl with David Woodley – Score one for Shula.
  • Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady is piss poor – draw your own conclusions.
  • Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with three different QBs – Yeah Joe is underrated.
  • Noll & Malone beat Walsh & Montana. Twice – Score one for The Emperor.

Rudolph, Hodges, Tribusiky, Pickett, Fields along with an aging Wilson and an even older Rodgers offer a wide spectrum in terms of talent and pedigree.

  • The only one with a losing record in Pittsburgh was Trubisky.

The rest have losing records in their post-Steelers lives, and Hodges, who was .500 as a Steelers starter, couldn’t even secure a spot on another team’s practice squad.

Enough said.

The 2021 Season

We remember Ben Roethlisberger going out with a bang in 2021 after seven 4th quarter comebacks. He gets  he lion’s share of the credit for the 9-7-1 finish.

But what we forget ’21 Steelers had an offensive line held together with spit, duct tape and bubble gum and a defensive line that had Cameron Heyward playing alongside career backups and practice squanders.

Few credit Mike Tomlin for keeping that team together. But they should.

The 2025 Season

Mike Tomlin’s Yin and Yang was on full display 2025.

During the off season, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan took several calculated personnel risks.

One was that the trio of Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. backed by safety Juan Tornhill could deliver the shutdown secondary necessary to combat Joe Burrow’s video game-like passing attack. On offense, they gambled that Roman Wilson would grow into a legit WR No 2.

  • Burrow didn’t get a chance to test them, but Joe Flacco did and exposed them.
  • Roman Wilson flashed (well, flickered) early on but finished the year inactive.

By season’s end, Mike Tomlin had brought in 3 new defensive backs and moved the pieces around so that only secondary starter was playing in his opening day position. He did something similar at wide receiver adding not one but two cast offs.

Jalen Ramsey, Tua Tagovailoa, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jalen Ramsey sacks Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: Alysia Rubin, Steelers.com

The changes resulted in a team that lost 5 of 7 games to close November at 6-6, to one went 4-1 down the stretch and won the AFC Championship.

Sweet Steelers Symmetry

Early in his tenure, a reader asked Ed Bouchette in a Post-Gazette chat to compare Tomlin to his predecessors. Bouchette opined that Tomlin struck him as a cross between Noll and Cowher.

So there’s something poetic about Mike Tomlin finishing with 193 regular season wins, just as Chuck Noll did. And its fitting that Tomin’s Super Bowl record of 1-1 match’s Bill Cowher’s.

Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin, Chuck Noll, Steelers Six Lombardi Trophies, Mike Tomlin Bill Cowher photo

Bill Cowher interviews Mike Tomlin. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Noll and Cowher boast better post-season percentages, yet Tomlin’s regular season squads never swooned to the depths his predecessors touched.

Thank you Mike Tomlin for 1 Super Bowl, 2 AFC Championships, 8 AFC North Titles, 14 playoff experiences and 193 wins.

Thank you for giving us 19 years of a “winning era.”

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Justin Fields: A “Bridge Quarterback” for the Steelers? Or Something More?

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The quarterback reclamation project is to football is the roommate switch was to Seinfeld:

  • Everyone wants to do it, but it’s nearly impossible to pull off.

The Steelers have a rich, if uncelebrated, quarterback reclamation history. Chuck Noll tried with David Woodley and Todd Blackledge without success. In Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch, Bill Cowher and Kevin Colbert fared a bit better, but with Kent Graham not so much.

Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin took flyers on Zach Mettenberger, Paxton Lynch and Dwayne Haskins to no avail.

Last year, Omar Khan and Tomlin took another flyer on Justin Fields and now must decide whether they want try to extend his stay in Pittsburgh.

Justin Fields, Steelers vs Radiers

Justin Fields rushes for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Capsule Profile of Justin Fields’ Career with the Steelers

Justin Fields arrived in Pittsburgh on March 16th 2025 capping off a remarkable 4-day stretch that saw the Steelers sign Russell Wilson, let Mason Rudolph leave for Tennessee and send Kenny Pickett to the Eagles. While Mike Tomlin promised an open competition, everyone knew that Fields was penciled in at QB No. 2.

However, a calf injury to Russell Wilson on the first day at St. Vincents opened the door for Fields to get extensive work with the first team. He started the first preseason game, but took a back seat to Wilson for the second two, and was set to enter the season as Wilson’s back up.

Then Wilson aggravated his calf again, so Fields began the season as the Steelers starting quarterback. Fields won his first 3 starts, lost his next two before rebounding to win his 6th, bringing his mark as a starter to 4-2.

Fields’ role as a change-up quarterback never evolved as he ran 7 times and threw twice after his benching. He saw action in the wins over Baltimore, Washington and Cincinnati and in losses to Cleveland and Philadelphia as well as the playoff ridiculing vs the Ravens disaster.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Justin Fields

Sam Darnold. Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith and, to go back a generation, Drew Brees. These are all quarterbacks that needed more time to develop than the teams that drafted them were willing to give them. (Side question: Who exactly in Cleveland had the bright idea to push Baker Mayfield out?)

  • Justin Fields played the best football of his career in Pittsburgh.

He raised his pass completion percentage, reduced his interceptions, evaded sacks and improved his passer rating compared to what he’d done in Chicago. And he didn’t exactly have a world-class group of receivers to target, nor did he benefit from a strong offensive line, neither did he have an effective running game.

Fields proved himself to be a dynamic threat, running for as many touchdowns as he threw for. Arthur Smith favors him over Russell Wilson. Fields is only 26. Although Jalen Hurts Super Bowl MVP performance might force Pittsburgh to pay a little more, he can and should still be resigned at a reasonable, “Prove It” contract.

Finally, Justin Fields managed his benching with a maturity beyond his years (contrast that with Kenny Picket….)

At a minimum, Justin Fields should be a serviceable “bridge quarterback” for the Steelers with a chance to be much, much more.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Justin Fields

4-2 sounds good and in the NFL is certainly nothing to sneeze at.

But let’s be realistic: Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith kept the training wheels on for Fields. Sure, he only threw one pick, but that’s because he was bending over backwards to play it safe. Case in point, he averaged below 200 yards passing per game.

Justin Fields, Justin Fields Bad Snap, Steelers vs Colts

Justin Fields is sacked after an errant 4th quarter snap. Photo Credit: CBS47 and KSEE24

Sure, Fields can improve and win. But even with the right weapons around him, is he ever going to be a quarterback who can develop beyond the 8, 9 or 10 wins and then one-and-done in the playoffs bubble? His six fumbles and abortive 7 yard run when he needed 8 against the Ravens suggests he lacks basic instincts for the game.

  • As the 2024 playoffs proved, the age of mobile quarterbacks has arrived.

But in that light, the base-case scenario is that Justin Fields develops into the next Jalen Hurts. The more realistic projection sees him becoming the next Kordell Stewart.

Do the Steelers really want to go down that road again?

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Justin Fields

This Curtain’s Call is a mirror image of Russell Wilson’s – the Steelers decision on Justin Fields will tell us as much about how they see themselves as it does how they see Justin Fields.

If the Steelers really think they have the players on the roster now to bag Lombardi Number 7 in 2025 or 2026, then they should sign Russell Wilson (provided his contract demands are reasonable.) If their analysis of their own roster is a bit more sober, then Justin Fields must be their man.

In the short term, Fields certainly has a lower floor than Wilson, but there’s a chance that he has a higher ceiling than Wilson in the longer term.

 

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Russell Wilson vs. Justin Fields – The Pros and Cons for Both as the Steelers Starter

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made it official at his press conference declaring that Russell Wilson is “in consideration” to start Sunday against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium.

Russell Wilson entered the preseason as QB Number 1, but injured his calf on the first day of drills at St. Vincents, leading Justin Fields to start for the Steelers first two preseason games. Wilson did start the final preseason game, but injured his calf the week before the season opener and Fields has started since.

This is an interesting call, as each quarterback brings pros and cons to the table. IT will also reveal something about Mike Tomlin.

Russell Wilson, Justin Fields,

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson (3) and Justin Fields (2) before a preseason game against Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, August 24, 2024.

The Case for Justin Fields

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 4-2 with Justin Fields as their starting quarterback.

No, Fields hasn’t looked like the next Steve Young or Lamar Jackson. But he’s led the Steelers to four wins despite an offensive line that has been ravaged by injuries, a running game that’s been slow to start and what could be charitably described as a JV wide receiver crops, George Pickens excluded.

  • If Fields arrived in Pittsburgh as a quarterback reclamation project.

And no, he hasn’t looked like a late-blooming quarterback blossoming into an All Pro in real time. But there have been flashes that he is capable of greatness. Moreover, after throwing 30 interceptions over three seasons in Chicago, he’s thrown only one in Pittsburgh.

On our final point there is no room for equivocation: Justin Fields has been the most potent, most consistent weapon for the Steelers offense. He’s rushed for just under a third of their ground attack and scored 45% of their touchdowns.

The Case for Russell Wilson

The Steelers signed Russell Wilson to be their starter. This was the plan from the get go. His injury complicated things but since then he’s only been a question of WHEN and not IF.

  • Russell Wilson is a 9 time Pro Bowler and owns a Super Bowl ring.

The Steelers offense is young. Very young. Wilson will provide immediate veteran leadership in the huddle. That’s no knock on Fields, but Wilson has “been there, done that.”

If the wins over the Falcons, Broncos, Chargers and Raiders are any indication, the Steelers have a Super Bowl-ready defense. The offense has just been good enough to get by. It lacks explosiveness. It hasn’t made the “cunk” plays off of play action that Arthur Smith is known for.

Wilson can bring that. Even a bad situation last year in Denver, Wilson managed to throw 26 touchdown passes.

The Steelers haven’t sniffed that kind of areal attack since Ben Roethlisberger retired. The rough part of the Steelers schedule is rapidly approaching. Now is the time for Mike Tomlin and company to see exactly what they have in Wilson.

The Case Against Justin Fields

Yes, Fields has been the offense’s best weapon, but quarterbacks are supposed to do damage with their arms, not their legs.

  • And Fields hasn’t been a prolific passer.

Early in the season, Fields was taking shots down the field. but those have tapered off. Against the Raiders the Steelers leading receiver was George Pickens with 3 passes for 53 yards. 31 of those came in a late game stats padding play. Against the Cowboys, the Steelers leading ball catcher was Najee Harris who had 2 grabs for 35 yards.

  • Those are Pop Warner level stats, not NFL numbers.

And while its true that Fields has protected the ball, he has had 6 fumbles. He’s only lost one of those, but any of the others could have been game changers. He also had an ugly interception erased by a questionable penalty.

The Steelers have seen what they have in Fields. He’s someone they should consider keeping around next season. But the Steelers need more now.

The Case Against Russell Wilson

How about these numbers: 28, 6 and 12. That’s 28 preseason snaps for Russell Wilson, in 6 series, where he threw 12 passes. Yes, Russell Wilson is a decorated NFL veteran.

  • But he’s new to the team and new to the system.

And practice still makes perfect, and Wilson has only had a couple of three weeks in working as a full participant with the Steelers first team – and that goes back to the first week at St. Vincents.

And let’s keep in mind that the offensive line the Steelers were hoping to field when they arrived in Latrobe is very different from the one that will line up on Sunday night against the Jets. Troy Fautanu and James Daniels are in IR. Rookie Zach Frazier, arguably their best player already, will also be out.

While its true that many of Justin Fields runs have been designed plays, he’s also used his legs to evade the pass rush that the line has been powerless to stop. Can the Steelers really expect to put a 35-year-old man behind that line an hope to win?

While Russell Wilson might give the offense a boost, is he really going to make them Super Bowl contenders? Is it any easier to envision Van Jefferson mugging with the Lombardi than it was to imagine Weegie Thompson doing the same (nod to Defeo man)?

Justin Fields hasn’t proven he’s the next franchise quarterback for the Steelers, but he has shown that he might be. Its time for Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan to find out what they’ve really got.

Tomlin History with the Quarterback Carousel

Mike Tomlin might be the longest-tenured NFL coach, but hasn’t had much experience with quarterback management.

  • Ben Roethlisberger was going to be his starter no ifs, ands or buts.
Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

During the 2010 preseason, he did stage 3 way competition between Byron Leftwich, Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch. Tomlin took heat in the press for how he managed things, but the Steelers finished 3-1 during that stretch while effectively playing their 4th string quarterback.

That did not go as well. While his preference based on contract and draft status for Tribusiky and Pickett made sense, but the end of 2023 Mason Rudolph was looking liked he’d been the best quarterback all along.

Now Tomlin has to make another quarterback decision. Hopefully he’s gained wisdom through past experience.

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So the Steelers Opened Preseason Losing 20-12 to the Texans. Maybe That’s A Good Thing

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The Pittsburgh Steelers opened preseason with a 20-12 loss to the Houston Texans at Acisure Stadium Friday night in an effort which Mike Tomlin described as “Sloppy.”

Sloppy it was featuring:

  • Two fumbled snaps between quarterback and center
  • Key pass protection breakdowns on possession downs
  • A missed extra point
  • A muffed punt and several other missed opportunities
  • A 34 yard touchdown pass

The result was very different than the fast start, convincing victories that began the 2022 and 2023 exhibition season.

And to be honest, it’s a little refreshing.

Justin Fields, Steelers vs Texans preseason

Justin Fields is sacked. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

This is What Preseason is For

Both the summers of 2022 and 2023 features pristine preseasons for Pittsburgh. In 2022 they went 3-0 in preseason. In 2023 they went 3-0 again, looking better, sharper and more dominating on each side of the ball with each passing game.

The exhibitions were pleasing, they were enjoyable and they excited Steelers Nation.

  • But they also had a false feel to them.

Kenny Pickett looked like a star in the making in summer of 2022. He played so well many question whether he should have pushing giving Mitch Trubisky. Last summer he looked on the verge of realizing the greatness flashed in his “Kenny Fuc_ing Pickett” moment against the Ravens at the end of 2022. The defense looked just as dominant.

  • We all remember what happened once the games started counting for real.

And that’s why the Steelers performance against the Texans was so, daresay, encouraging. Because it wasn’t perfect nor did the Steelers feign perfection. Preseason is supposed to be the time to try out offensive line alignments, test new coverage schemes and give guys a chance to prove – or disprove themselves.

Even after acknowledging some of the warts, the Steelers showed a lot to like.

Positives Out of the Preseason Loss to the Texas

How much digital ink was spilled in the week before the game on the yet to materialize trade from Brandon Aiyuk? I doubt even Chat GPT could tell us. But what we saw against the Texans might tell us that we should hope that all of that trade talk continues to amount to nothing.

George Pickens looked good. As did Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller, two imports from Atlanta. And while Calvin Austin did disappoint by not hauling in that touchdown, he also made some nice plays.

  • The reason why they good might be more important.

Neither Najee Harris nor Jaylen Warren got a lot of work, but they both posted some solid runs. Both newcomers Jonathan Ward and Daijun Edwards made their case for a longer look for occupying roster spot number 53.

  • And one of the things that we already knew but that the game confirmed is that Arthur Smith likes play action.

And as Charlie Batch explained during the broadcast, when you run on first down it sets up play action perfectly. And we could see both Justin Fields and Kyle Allen taking advantage of that split second bit of confusion that pretending to hand off caused.

  • The Steelers defense also had its standouts.

DeMarvin Leal, perhaps one of most critical non-starters on this team, lived up to what we’ve been hearing about in training camp. The Steelers desperately need a fourth lineman behind Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi and Keeanu Benton and Leal is staking his claim to that role.

Nick Herbig continued to shine as an up and comer. And with Markus Golden retiring after a brief return, Jacoby Windmon began staking his claim to the OLB number 4 slot.

Points of Concern

While all of those positives are real, the Steelers lost for a reason. Both Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu appeared to struggle at times, and Fautanu’s injury is at least a yellow flag.

Quez Watkins looked like a deer in the headlights while attempting to return punts. In contrast, the Texans averaged 16.7 yards in punt returns – that’s an average that could get Omar Khan calling his counterpart at the Giants asking about Miles Boykin’s availability.

Damontae Kazee also whiffed badly with a missed tackle at the 5 and allowed the Texans’ first touchdown. Yet Ryan Watts looked good playing on the back end.

From Bad Comes Good?

In contrast to the past two years, the Steelers come back to St. Vincents with plenty to work on. That’s a good thing.

While I don’t think the 6-0 preseason records in the previous lulled the players or the coaching staff into a sense of complacency, I do think that the inconsistent performance against the Texans will reinforce a sense of urgency.

  • We may have already seen evidence of it on Friday night.

A year ago against Tampa Bay, Kenny Pickett played for one series lasting 10 snaps and then was done. Justin Fields remained in for 3 full series. While there’s no time to do compare snap counts for other starters, it did appear that the first string got more work. Good. They needed it.

Mike Tomlin described his team’s effort as a JV performance. Embracing that truth now gives the Steelers their best chance to field a varsity performance when they open for real in Atlanta against the Falcons in one month.

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Rumors of the Death of the “Steelers Way” Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

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Sometimes things change fast on the South Side. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are in Pittsburgh, while Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett are in Buffalo, Tennessee and Philadelphia.

In the blink of an eye, Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin have remade the Steelers quarterback room in Nietzschean fashion.

SteelersNOW’s Alan Saunders proclaimed, “These are not your Father’s Pittsburgh Steelers.” On Steel City Insider, Jim Wexell looked back to the Buddy Parker era – the last time the Steelers completely remade the quarterback room year-on and year-out, and reminded us that these might be your grandfather’s Pittsburgh Steelers.

More than one commentator has said that these changes prove that the Steelers have fundamentally changed the way they work.

It may feel that way.

But reports of the death of “The Steelers Way” are greatly exaggerated. Let’s explore why.

Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers

Russell Wilson’s first Steelers press conference. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Yes, This IS a Big Change

Let’s embrace the obvious. The Steelers QB depth chart now reads:
1. Russell Wilson
2. Justin Fields
3. TBD

Precisely NO ONE saw this coming. No one.

Even coming out of the NFL combine the safe money was on Kenny Pickett’s “competition” being Ryan Tannehill. Not only did the Steelers reel in two of the bigger fish in the market, they moved on from Kenny Pickett faster than they’ve moved on from any first round draft pick since Huey Richardson in 1992.

  • For a franchise steeped in stability, that’s a lot of change.

But if you look at consider the moves that Omar Khan has made in the larger context of Steelers history, you’ll find plenty of precedent.

The Myth of Steelers Standing Pat @ Quarterback

If you asked GenAI or some other bot to neatly summarize modern era Steelers quarterback history you could easily get an answer like this:

The Steelers drafted Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw in 1970. Despite seeing a series of bad, average and “good” quarterbacks follow Bradshaw, the Pittsburgh Steelers move to get another franchise quarterback until drafting Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.

  • Sounds about right, doesn’t it? Perfect for our world of Twitterized communication. Except its wrong.

Not drafting Dan Marino was a grave mistake. The Steelers also could have tried to get Steve Young’s rights in the 1984 Supplemental Draft and would have been better off with Brett Favre instead of Huey Richardson in 1991.

But after missing on Marino, those basically the Steelers only two chances to draft a franchise quarterback until 2001 when they took Casey Hampton instead of Drew Brees.

  • Meanwhile, Chuck Noll, Tom Donahoe and Kevin Colbert did exactly as Omar Khan has done this past spring.

Despite having invested a first round draft pick in Mark Malone, Chuck Noll traded a third round pick for David Woodley. After dealing Malone for an 8th round pick, Noll traded a 4th to Kansas City to bring Todd Blackledge to Pittsburgh.

Bubby Brister, Chuck Noll, Bubby Brister super tecmo bowl raiting, Steelers 1988

Chuck Noll and Bubby Brister. Photo Credit: Mike Powell, Getty Images

Bubby Brister beat out Blackledge for the starting role in 1988. A year later Brister and 1989 Steelers “shocked the world” by upsetting the Houston Oilers in the playoffs, finishing a bad snap and a dropped pass away from a trip to the AFC Championship.

Yet, Chuck Noll thought that Neil O’Donnell was a first round talent and would have drafted him there in 1990 had Bill Nunn and Dick Haley not assured him O’Donnell would be there in the 3rd.

Get that? The franchise had a 2-year starter at QB who’d just won the franchise’s first playoff game in 5 years, and yet Noll was ready to take another quarterback in the first round.

O’Donnell would of course eventually beat Brister for the starting job, and led the 1994 Steelers to AFC Championship game. Pittsburgh lost in a stunning upset, but people forget O’Donnell broke a few AFC Championship passing records on that dreary day.

  • So what did Tom Donahoe do?

He drafted Kordell Stewart in the 2nd round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Kordell Stewart saw his ups and downs as Steelers quarterback, leading Kevin Colbert to sign Kent Graham to compete with him.

Kordell Stewart, Steelers vs Raiders

Kordell shrugs off injury to lead 2nd half rally. Photo Credit: Getty Images via Twitter

Stewart lost but ultimately re-gained the starting role for the 2000 Steelers leading them to a 9-7 record. Yet, Kevin Colbert still took a flyer on XFL “star” Tommy Maddox. Stewart was voted MVP of the 2001 Steelers and appeared to have finally turned a corner. That didn’t stop Colbert for signing Charlie Batch when the Lions surprisingly cut him in the spring of 2002.

  • The Steelers have been criticized for not having a coherent succession plan for Ben Roethlisberger.

No real argument there. Anyone think that no one on the South Side regrets taking Terrell Edmunds over Lamar Jackson?

But along the way the Steelers did take flyers on Zach Mettenberger, Paxton Lynch and Dwayne Haskins, one former part time starter and two former first round picks.

What IS Different

As you can see, Terry Bradshaw began his “Life’s work” the Steelers actively tried to improve at quarterback. Sometimes this has taken the form of (largely unsuccessful) quarterback reclamation projects.

At other times they’ve invested premium draft picks in quarterbacks despite having an incumbent starter – starters who’d been more successful than Kenny Pickett.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, Photo Credit: Nola.com

In contrast, Omar Khan has brought an aging veteran in at the veteran minimum and given up a conditional 6th round draft pick to bring in 2021’s 11th overall pick to Pittsburgh on his rookie contract.

Compared to moves to bring Woodley, Blackledge, O’Donnell and Stewart to Pittsburgh, Khan is downright conservative compared to his predecessors.

  • The critical difference or the “independent variable” if you will is Kenny Pickett.

To be sure, the arrivals of these new quarterbacks to Pittsburgh didn’t spawn Cumbia-like moments at St. Vincents. But all of the signal callers in question handled the prospect of competition with far more professionalism and maturity than did Kenny Pickett.

Which is why he’s in Philadelphia facing at least two years of clipboard holding.

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Steelers Trade of Kendrick Green Highlights the Danger and Unavoidability of Drafting for Need

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The Steelers decision to ship Kendrick Green off to the Houston Texans for a 6th round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is a pure admission of failure on the part of the front office.

  • Third round picks are supposed to grow into starters.
Kendrick Green, Kendrick Green Fullback

Steelers guard/center takes reps at fullback. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Kendrick Green’s trajectory with the Steelers went in the opposite direction. He started immediately, got benched late in his first year, stood in street clothes his second year, and was dealt at fire sale prices in his third year.

  • NFL teams don’t give up on third round picks so easily. The Steelers offer no exception.

The Steelers gave the boot to just one year Bruce Davis after drafting him third in the 2008 NFL Draft. Two Septembers, they also cut rookie Kraig Urbik, but that move was a miscalculation on their part, forced by the need to carry Charlie Batch on the 2010 roster.

As the stories of Curtis Brown, Sean Spence and Senquez Golson reveal, the Steelers normally bend over backwards to give a third round second, third and fourth chances to make the team.

And in a sense, the Steelers did that with Green. They moved him to guard in 2022, sort of giving him a Redshirt year as he was inactive for all 17 games. In 2023 they gave him work at both center and guard and even repped him at fullback.

Mike Tomlin singled him out after the Bills game, making no bones about the fact that his errant snaps to Mason Rudolph were unacceptable. Green saw action at both center and guard in the win over the Falcons, and in this observer’s opinion he did pretty well.

  • Pat Meyer, Matt Canada and Mike Tomlin reached a different conclusion.

Thus ends the Kendrick Green experiment, after over a little over two years and 15 games. For a franchise that boasts a lineage at center that begins in the ‘60s with Ray Mansfield, dominates the 70’s with Mike Webster, continues into throughout the 1990’s with Dermontti Dawson and extends into the 21st century with Jeff Hartings and Maurkice Pouncey, Kendrick Green represents a tremendous disappointment.

But if Kendrick Green’s footnote in the Definitive History of the Pittsburgh Steelers will be short, his story leaves a lasting lesson:

  • Drafting for need is dangerous. But sometimes its unavoidable.

Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement hit the Steelers at the worst possible time. Neither the coaches nor the front office were expecting it, particularly since Ben Roethlisberger returned for one more go.

Not only did the Steelers need to find a center, COVID-19 had plunged Pittsburgh into salary cap hell, cutting off free agency as a means to signing a new center. That left the draft. The Steelers tried to stick to their board picking Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth in the 1st and 2nd rounds (cue the arguments that the Steelers should have taken Creed Humphrey before Najee Harris) but their hand was essentially forced by the third round, when they took Green.

You can argue that they were in the same position in the 4th round, and were essentially forced to pick Dan Moore. More, like Green struggled on, but he starts his third year by keeping 2023’s first round pick Broderick Jones on the bench.

So sometimes you can get away with drafting for need. But as The Wire’s Omar Little reminded us, “You come at the king, you best not miss.” Yep, the Steelers missed on Kendrick Green.

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Ditch Mitch? Ah, No. Steelers Extend Mitch Trubisky for 2 Years

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Sometimes, it pays to listen. Throughout the 2023 off season the Steelers brass has been saying they want Mitchell Trubisky to stay in Pittsburgh as a long-term backup quarterback. They even confirmed that they were leaving the door open for Mason Rudolph.

And this week, both men signed contracts with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A few days after inking Mason Rudolph to a one year deal, the Steelers extended Mitch Tribusky’s contract by two years. According to the NFL Network, the new deal will keep Tribusky in Pittsburgh through the 2025 season and pay him 19.4 million dollars with a chance to earn 33 million through incentives.

Prior to the extension, the Steelers were on the hook to pay Tribuisky another 8 million this year, bringing his salary cap value to over 10 million dollars. That’s dirty cheap for a starting quarterback but rather expensive for a backup who, under the best of circumstances won’t do anything more than wear a headset and huddle with the starter and head coach during the 2 minute warning.

Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

Trubisky to Follow in Footsteps of Another Ex-Bears QB?

Of course “the best of circumstances” don’t always prevail in the NFL. After getting benched against the Jets, Mitch Tribuisky was forced into action twice thanks to Kenny Pickett concussions.

And his play in those games calls to mind another former Chicago Bears quarterback, who after a stint on the Great Lakes, found his way to Pittsburgh. That quarterback is Mike Tomczak, who after 77 games and 31 starts in Chicago, followed by stops in Green Bay and Cleveland, arrived in Pittsburgh in 1993.

Mike Tomczak, Barry Foster, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomczak hands off to Barry Foster in 1994. Photo Credit: Getty Images, via Pro Football Talk

Trubisky’s play in the Steelers upset over the Buccaneers and win over the Panthers evokes memories of Mike Tomczak at his best – a game manager/game manager plus who can step in and deliver when called up.

In the same vein, Trubisky’s play in the home loss to the Ravens, brings to mind Mike Tomczak at his worst – ask him (or let him try) to do too much will get you into trouble.

But that’s true of most backup quarterbacks (even Charlie Batch).

After backing up Neil O’Donnell in 1993, Tomczak stuck with the Steelers through 1999. If Trubisky plays out his full contract he’ll have a real shot at matching Tomczak’s tenure.

Another Cook Joins Pat Meyer’s Kitchen

Broderick Jones won’t be the only new offensive tackle in offensive line coach Pat Myer’s room next year. The Steelers continued to add to the depth behind Dan Moore and Chukwuma Okorafor when they signed tackle Dylan Cook.

Cook spent most of 2022 on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad, and was resigned after the season but got a pink slip shortly after the draft.

Cook is from Montana and actually play quarterback in high school. He stands 6’6” and weighs 303 pounds.

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Welcome Back Mason. Steelers Resign Mason Rudolph for 1 Year

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When asked just 11 days ago where Mason Rudolph would play in 2023, Chapter head of the Pittsburgh Pro Football writers association Mark Kaboly assured readers, “It won’t be the Steelers.”

steelers 2019 season, T.J. Watt, Mason Rudolph, Maurkice Pouncey, Zach Banner

Photo Credit: Karl Rosner, Steelers.com

During the team’s recently concluded rookie Mini Camp the Steelers gave Tanner Moran jersey number 2. Many took this as further confirmation that the one-time heir-apparent to Ben Roethlisberger’s days in Pittsburgh were over.

  • And just like that the Steelers resigned Mason Rudolph to a one year contract.

Hum, maybe we should have listened when Omar Khan addressed the press way back on February 28th when he responded to reporter’s asking whether Mason and the Steelers were done, “No, not at all. We have a great relationship, good conversation with Mason. The door is still open.”

Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin left the door open, and Mason Rudolph has decided to walk through it. Although its fair to say that Rudolph’s decision was driven by necessity rather than desire.

While Rudolph (and his agent) couldn’t have been expecting an find an opportunity to start in free agency, a shot at a backup job somewhere seemed reasonable. Apparently, 31 NFL General Managers thought differently.

Actually, make that number 32, because at 10 million dollars a year, Mitch Trubisky is entrenched as the Steelers backup behind Kenny Pickett.

  • Nonetheless this is a good move for both the Steelers and Mason Rudolph.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that believes in keeping 3 quarterbacks. Sure, Chuck Noll might have started 1989 with only Bubby Brister and Todd Blackledge on the active roster and Bill Cowher might have begun 1992 with just Bubby behind Neil O’Donnell, but are exceptions.

Mike Tomlin briefly flirted with a 2 quarterback system when he traded Joshua Dobbs after the 2019 season opener. Ben Roethlisberger’s season was over 2 quarters later, and Duck Hodges joined the active roster and was throwing passes before the leaves had begun to fall along Brownsville Road.

Yes, this is a wise move indeed.

Since he arrived in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin has carried Dennis Dixon, Charlie Batch, Landry Jones and Devlin Hodges on the active roster as third string quarterbacks and started each of them in meaningful games in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2019.

  • That means once ever three years, Mike Tomlin’s 3rd string quarterback starts a game.

The last time that happened was 2019. So the Steelers are due…

Welcome back Mason Rudolph.

Follow Steelers free agency. Visit our Steelers 2023 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2023 free agent focus articles.

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Steelers 2023 Draft Needs @ Quarterback – Does Pittsburgh Pick a 3rd String QB?

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Last year the Pittsburgh Steelers bucked the conventional wisdom that dominate the rest of the NFL: Namely that there were no first round worthy quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Looking no further than their own back yard, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin begged to differ and the Steelers used a first round pick on a quarterback for the first time since the 2004 NFL Draft.

The draft is almost upon us again – should the Steelers use one of their seven picks on a quarterback in 2023? Let’s take a look.

Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Steelers vs Seahawks

Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky during preseason. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY

Steelers Depth Cart at Quarterback: The Starter

Quarterback was a clear need for the Steelers entering the 2022 NFL Draft. Yet, if you take Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin at their word, they never expected to get the one they wanted.

  • When Kenny Pickett fell to them at the 20th pick, they wasted little time in calling his name.

Yes, the franchise that passed on the chance to replace Terry Bradshaw with Pitt-star Dan Marino easily went all in on replacing Ben Roethlisberger with Pitt’s Kenny Pickett.

At first glance, Pickett’s rookie statistics appear quite pedestrian. His record as a starter was 7-5. One of those wins was the upset against the Buccaneers and one of those losses was against the Ravens at home. Both were games where Pickett couldn’t finish due to concussions.

During 2022 Pickett threw 389 passes, completed 245 of them for a 63% completion rate, while throwing 7 touchdowns an 9 interceptions.

  • Yes, those numbers look pedestrian indeed.

But there are also truths that aren’t self-evident in these stats. Only one of those 8 interceptions came before the bye week. And even during that pre-bye week stretch of starts, Pickett’s poise was always present in his play. As Craig Wolfey commented after the loss to the Dolphins, Pickett may have thrown two interceptions in the 4th quarter, but the game never looked too big for him.

And twice, late in the season playing under harsh AFC North winter conditions, Kenny Pickett rallied this team for victory in the 4th quarter, and he looked natural doing it.

Steelers Quarterback Depth Chart: The Backup

One of the Steelers first moves in free agency in the spring of 2022 was to sign Mitch Trubisky to a 2-year contract. As Mike Tomlin later explained, they moved to sign Trubsky to “prevent us from doing something stupid in the draft.”

(That’s a sound strategy, because when you reach, Jarvis Jones or Artie Burns happen.)

  • Extreme highs and extreme lows defined Trubisky’s tenure in 2022.

He looked “OK” in the season-opening upset of the Bengals, but couldn’t rally the team to a victory in a very winnable game against the Patriots. The offense struggled against the Browns and the Jets, which led to his benching, in favor of Pickett.

Yet Trubisky played exceptionally well against the Buccaneers, after Pickett got hurt. But Trubisky was horrible in relief against the Ravens.

But against the Carolina Panthers, with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren running strong, Trubisky did an exceptional job, completing 17 of 22 passes for an economic 179 yards and one touchdown. The kind of performance you’d like and expect to see out of your backup.

The Steelers 2023 Quarterback Draft Needs

Steelers Draft, Steelers Draft Needs scale

Much of the rest of the NFL might consider it quaint, but the Pittsburgh Steelers believe in carrying 3 quarterbacks. And the Mike Tomlin era has seen the Golden Age of Steelers third string quarterbacks, with Dennis Dixon, Charlie Batch, Landry Jones, Devlin Hodges all beginning seasons as third stringers, only to start meaningful games during the year.

Thus far Mason Rudolph remains unsigned and even if the Steelers are open to bringing him back, would he really wanted to serve as a third string quarterback?

We probably won’t know until after the draft.

The Steelers neither have a 5th nor 6th round pick and they are certainly not drafting a quarterback on day one or day two. Could the Steelers find a viable 3rd string quarterback with one of their 2 7th round picks.

  • Stranger things have happened.

With that said, the Steelers need at quarterback going into the 2023 NFL Draft should be considered as Fair.

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