Tag Archives: Bill Cowher

The Game Within the Game: Dissecting the Steelers 27-24 Loss to the Browns on TNF

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Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season saw the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Cleveland and drop a 27-24 decision to the Browns on Thursday Night Football.

Judging by the reaction from Steelers Nation on social media, the 2026 Steelers are officially the worst 2-2 team in the history of organized athletics (including, it would seem, team competitions from the ancient Olympics.)

However, with the benefit of a little time and detached reflection, one can see that the loss did yield a lot of insights about this Steelers squad, especially if you focus on the game within the game.

An animated T.J. Watt gets on the headset with Patrick Graham.

An animated T.J. Watt gets on the headset with Patrick Graham. Photo Credit: NFL on Amazon Prime.

Steelers Follow Tormented Template for Thursday Night AFC North Road Games

Thursday Night division road games have been terrible for the Steelers. Neither Chuck Noll, nor Bill Cowher, nor Mike Tomlin won one. Neither has Mike McCarthy, but his team did follow the same template that Tomlin laid down on a Thursday Night a year ago against the Bengals in the opposite corner of Ohio.

Both games saw the Steelers begin by scoring touchdowns on opening drives. Both saw the Steelers defense force fast punts on their Ohio opponent’s first possessions. In both games, the Steelers maintained control, until an untimely Aaron Rodgers interception flipped the momentum to the Ohio team.

And there, on both occasions, Pittsburgh’s opponents savaged a once-proud defense, with attacks on the ground followed by freely flowing passes downfield.

  • On both October nights, the Steelers offense fought back.

As he did in Cincinnati last year, Aaron Rodgers again in Cleveland would lead twin 4th quarter touchdown drives, culminating with touchdown passes to Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington.

Pat Freiermuth, Jordan Battle, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Pat Freiermuth stiff arms Jordan Battle en route to the end zone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

And, on both occasions, fans twirled their Terrible Towels celebrating Freiermuth’s touchdown while silently asking themselves – “Did Aaron Rodgers leave too much time on the clock?”

To that end, perhaps the Bengals and Browns should retaliate for “Renegade” by starting to play Styx’s “Too Much Time on Your Hands” during 4th quarter TV time outs, because both games ended with the Steelers offense leaving too much time on the clock for defenses incapable of making stops.

  • The similarities between these twin AFC North Thursday Night road losses are uncanny indeed.

But there are important differences in the dynamics of how both contest evolved, and those differences are where we can find insights.

The Game within The Game: On the Field, the Ugly Side

Here are two factoids that contradict each other while both being true:

  • If you take out the second quarter, the Steelers win 24 to 6
  • But that 2nd period is a candidate for the “worst quarter” in Steelers history

And that’s what makes this game so fascinating. The Steelers opened with a 17-play, nine-minute and 48-second drive that ended with a Roman Wilson rushing touchdown. The Steelers ran six times with Jaylen Warren getting five carries, while Aaron Rodgers hit four different receivers.

  • That’s the kind of ball-control football that would have given Ron Erhardt a wet dream.

While Steelers history buffs will appreciate that, what that opening drive reveals is that Mike McCarthy and his staff did an extremely good job of scripting their opening set of plays.

Roman Wilson runs in a touchdown to put the Steelers up 7-0 against the Browns on Thursday Night Football.

Roman Wilson runs in a 1st quarter touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The same can be said for Patrick Graham’s defense, which limited the Browns to 9 plays and under 30 yards on their first two drives.

Really it looked like McCarthy was en route to cracking the code to winning on TNF…

…Until Aaron Rodgers threw a pick. Then, the bottom feel out on the Steelers across the board:

  • The offensive line failed to protect Rodgers
  • When it did, the receivers couldn’t gain separation, so Rodgers got sacked anyway
  • When receivers did get open, Rodgers misfired, often badly
  • Tackling became an optional duty for Steelers defenders
  • The secondary struggled to cover the Browns’ receivers
  • Chris Boswell missed a field goal

About the only thing going right for the Steelers was Jaylen Warren’s running and Cameron Johnston’s punting.

The Game Within the Game: On the Field, the Sunny Side

Anytime you give up 21 unanswered points in a quarter, things are going bad. Truth be told, some of the weakness the Browns exposed can be fixed, others may be systemic.

The Steelers had to swallow a bitter pill and ship Joey Porter Jr. off to Dallas, but there’s no universe where their secondary is better for the change. Unless Daylen Everette’s baptism by fire transforms him into the next Rod Woodson, there’s little the Steelers can do to address that until next spring.

But some of the things that the Steelers flashed in-game give reason for hope. Take a second look at the third and fourth quarters and you’ll see Mike McCarthy, his staff and players making adjustments in real time:

  • The offensive line improved, protecting Rodgers better.
  • Either through improved play-calling or  execution, the receivers finally gained separation in the 4th quarter
  • D.K. Metcalf delivered when his number was called
  • Patrick Graham’s defense kept the Browns out of the end zone in the 2nd half
  • Robert Spears-Jennings secured a momentum-shifting interception
  • The run blocking of the offensive line was borderline exceptional

Anyone who is unconvinced on the last point should re-watch Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick outmuscling the opposing defensive tackles on Aaron Rodgers’ QB sneak.

Likewise, those tempted to hit the panic button over Patrick Graham’s defense should also take into consideration that he made those adjustments sans starting cornerback Jamel Dean and Derrick Harmon.

But those adjustments weren’t sufficient for the Steelers to secure victory. That brings us to the game within the game off the field.

The Game within the Game: Off the Field = McCarthy’s Challenge

The Steelers’ loss to the Browns on Thursday Night Football also featured something not seen in last year’s in the TNF loss to the Bengals and seldom seen before.

  • The quarterback and head coach exchanging F-bombs
  • T.J. Watt demanding the headset for a heated exchange with his coordinator
  • Cam Heyward reading the riot act to the rest of the defense

There are two directions this dynamic can evolve. It can mark the moment when the veterans on the team raised their voices to straighten the ship. Or it can mark the moment where the coaching staff started losing control.

Mike McCarthy’s challenge coming out of the Browns game is to ensure this dynamic evolves constructively rather than destructively.

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The Mike McCarthy Era Begins as Steelers Beat Falcons 20-13 at Acrisure Stadium

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The Mike McCarthy era began as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-13 at Acrisure Stadium to open the 2026 season.

In securing victory, Mike McCarthy now joins his three immediate predecessors, Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin in winning his first game as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But, in an ironic nod to continuity, we can explain McCarthy’s first win by leaning into a time-tested Tomlinism: “Players play, coaches coach.”

T.J. Watt intercepts Cooper Rush and Jawaan Taylor cannot stop him.

T.J. Watt intercepts Cooper Rush in the 4th quarter. Photo Credit: Taylor Ollason, Steelers.com

Meet the New Steelers Offense, Same as the Old Steelers Offense?

Pittsburgh has fielded “pedestrian” offenses, put generously, since Ben Roethlisberger threw out his arm against Seattle in 2019.

And the consensus remedy for all that ailed the Steelers offense according to fans, podcasters and professional commentators alike has been to replace Mike Tomlin with an offensive-minded head coach.

That’s what Art Rooney II did when he hired Mike McCarthy. And, with one game out of 17 in the books, we can say that the new Steelers offense looks an awful lot like the old.

  • Steelers running backs couldn’t crack 60 yards total rushing
  • Its leading wide receiver caught 3 balls for 58 yards
  • The unit went 3 of 13 on third downs
  • It scored one touchdown and put up the same number of points as Atlanta’s offense

There were positives. Aaron Rodgers was only sacked twice – although he was hit a total of 6 times. Pat Freiermuth had the type of afternoon that eluded him last season, scoring the team’s only touchdown.

Michael Pittman Jr. caught 3 of 3 balls thrown his way and looked better than any other Steelers WR No. 2 has had in years.

  • The same can’t really be said for WR No. 1, D.K. Metcalf.

Aaron Rodgers looked to him early and often, yet Metcalf only came down with 4 balls that came his way. To be fair to Metcalf, Rodgers hit him perfectly on a deep, sideline route that most certainly should have been called as pass interference.

But, in one of those coveted “passes over the middle” at the tail end of the third quarter, Rodgers delivered the ball perfectly, and Metcalf couldn’t hold on. Had he caught the ball, it is possible that none of the defense’s 4th quarter fireworks would have been necessary.

A.J. Terrell breaks up a long pass intended for D.K. Metcalf in the Steelers 2026 opening day win over the Falcons.

D.K. Metcalf can’t quite hold on as A.J. Terrell interferes. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Roman Wilson got his most extensive, non-garbage time play of his career thus far, and the results were mixed. He did come away with 3 catches for 26 yards, which is OK, but he dropped a touchdown in the end zone.

To be fair, a flag could have been thrown on that pass too, but like Metcalf, Wilson must start finding ways to win these combat catches.

The deep shots that Mike McCarthy and Brian Angelichio took down the middle indicate that the coaching duo was trying to do something different on offense. But the execution left a lot to be desired.

  • How did it go again? “Players play, coaches coach?”

There were a few other hopeful signs at the tail end of the game, as we shall see.

The “Other” 10 on the Steelers Defense

Given what we saw in the 4th quarter, one could be forgiven for forgetting that there were 10 other players at any given moment whose name did not start and end with a “T.”

  • But it was far from a one-man show for the Steelers defense.

Much has been made of the “most expensive defense in the NFL” for the last several seasons. Football historians can debate that at their convenience, against the Atlanta Falcons in the 2026 opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense earned their money:

  • Payton Wilson led in tackles, including 2 for losses and was all over the field
  • Jalen Ramsey stepped up and broke up a pass, negating a long gain early on
  • Alex Highsmith wrecked Atlanta’s opening and closing drives with sacks
  • Newcomer Jaquan Brisker set up the Steelers only touchdown with a late 2nd quarter interception

And Cam Heyward, the legendary defensive lineman who seems to be making a parallel late career case to do double duty as a defensive back, led the team with 3 passes defensed, and as usual was a force up front at all other times.

Jalen Ramsey breaks up what would have been a long one to Kyle Pitts in the Steelers 2026 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Jalen Ramsey breaks up a pass to Kyle Pitts. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

It is true, the Steelers were facing second-string quarterback Cooper Rush, who himself had injury issues going into the game. But Atlanta has weapons on offense. Bijan Robinson is one of the NFL’s most dangerous rushers. Robinson had a respectable day, but never threatened to take over the game.

And while the Steelers offense only converted three third downs, that was 50% more than the Falcons, who converted two. Patrick Graham is already earning accolades from the social media chorus for calling a much better game than Mike Tomlin or Teryl Austin would have.

  • And Graham does deserve credit.

But, the entire Steelers defense was firing on all cylinders. And if they hadn’t been, it may not have mattered. Because the 11th player on the field was performing on a different level.

T.J. Watt Grounds the Falcons

Neither 2024 nor 2025 were kind to T.J. Watt. In 2024 Watt started off strong, but an undisclosed injury hampered him late in the season, just as the Steelers entered their critical late-season stretch.

Watt’s lightning quick tackles of Derrick Henry, when in fact Lamar Jackson had the ball, seemed emblematic of everything wrong with the Steelers defense during the 2024 season’s playoff ridiculing suffered at the hands of the Ravens.

Watt had his moments in 2025 and played better than his 7 sacks suggest, but he still appeared to be a player in decline.

His name wasn’t called much early in the game against the Falcons, aside from a sack late in the first half. And late in the 3rd quarter, Joe Davis and Greg Olsen got to talking about Watt’s decline in play.

T.J. Watt with one of two sacks of Cooper Rush in the Steelers 2026 opening day win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Watt breaks a hold to sack Cooper Rush. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

If you didn’t know better, you’d have thought Watt was listening.

Because on the next play he stopped Robinson for a loss. Then, despite being blatantly held, he sacked Cooper Rush, helping to force Atlanta to settle for a field goal.

  • Unfortunately for the Falcons, Watt was only getting warmed up.

The field goal gave Atlanta 10 points, putting them within three of Pittsburgh. The fourth quarter was just starting. The Steelers offense followed with one of those three-and-outs that looked way too familiar to the fare the Fitchner, Canada and Smith offenses treated fans to.

Atlanta ended the 3rd quarter with a 20-yard Bijan Robinson run: The Falcons appeared to be taking flight as the 4th quarter began.

T.J. Watt thought otherwise.

Watt opened the 4th quarter by stoning Robinson for no gain on first down. On second down, after Patrick Graham radioed in the play, Patrick Queen looked at Watt and told him, “Bro, go get me one.” This was Watt’s response:

There are 3 things to take away from this play:

  1. It took incredible concentration for Watt to intercept that ball
  2. Watt’s commitment to playing to the whistle drives him to get up and finish the play
  3. Notice how Benton, Ramsey and Wilson rally to ensure Watt makes it to the end zone

Yes it is a long season. Yes, Watt will have to sustain this level.

But I have pretty good feeling pushing the “Watt’s Washed Up” storyline in the Atlanta Falcons locker room this morning would be a pretty hard sell.

A Finish the Steelers Offense Can Build On?

The Steelers offensive performance did feature a different, hopeful wrinkle. After Highsmith ended the Falcons’ final drive, the Steelers got the ball back with 4:16 remaining.

In just about any similar situation during the post-Roethlisberger era, it would have been nail-biting time. Not against the Falcons. Rodgers opened with passes to Metcalf, Pittman and Darnell Washington.

From there Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren banged out 4 and 9 yard runs respectively, allowing Mike McCarthy to deploy the victory formation.

This wasn’t exactly the type of attrition football that we witnessed in the days when Jerome Bettis or Le’Veon Bell salted away games. But seeing the Steelers spend the final minute of the game taking a knee as opposed to watching their DBs scramble around playing prevent defense was a welcome change.

Perhaps that’s something that Mike McCarthy can build on.

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5 (Not So) Random Takes from the Steelers 28-9 Preseason Win Over the Packers

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Mike McCarthy’s Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Green Bay Packers 28-9 to open their 2026 preseason campaign on a hot and steamy night at Acrisure Stadium.

The win gave fans their long-awaited look at quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar as well as wide receivers Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen along with cornerback Daylen Everette.

  • After watching a game chocked full of ESPN-worthy highlights, what are hard takeaways?

How about Mike McCarthy now has one more thing in common with Mike Tomlin than he does with Bill Cowher or Chuck Noll because McCarthy, like Tomlin, won his preseason debut whereas Cowher and Noll lost theirs….

Now that you’re prepared for a “Steelers Preseason” Final Jeopardy, let’s acknowledge that injuries are about the only hard truths that come out of the first preseason game of the summer. And fortunately the Steelers appeared to emerge relatively clean on that front.

But it was an exciting win, and it did leave commentators with a lot to comment on. So let’s comment.

Mason Rudolph evades Warren Brinson in the Steelers 2026 preseason opener vs the Packers.

Who doesn’t like a quarterback who knocks the helmet off of a defender? Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review.

1. Front and Center Focus Gives Us a Mixed Bag

The most important thing for the Steelers to get right this summer is to solidify their offensive line and strengthen their defensive spine.

  • The Packers game gave them their first test and results were mixed.

Pass protection was erratic. Mason Rudolph was only in for a handful of series and he was still sacked twice. Both Dylan Cook and Troy Fautanu got beat in critical snaps. The Steelers also averaged 2.6 yards on the ground, so the offensive line wasn’t exactly road-grading either.

Still, with that understood, the offensive line did give Rudolph enough protection to complete 10 of 11 passes and march the team to the one yard line.

On the flip side, the Steelers defense had a strong night overall, keeping the Packers out of the end zone for the entire game. Although Keeanu Benton got the start at nose tackle, both Yahya Black and Gabriel Rubio saw extended time and both men looked good, with Rubio logging six tackles.

2. Rudolph, Howard, Allar and the Quarterback Derby

Both Will Howard and Drew Allar made their NFL debuts and both men played very well.

Howard impressively ran the two-minute drill to set up Lew Nichols touchdown just before the end of the first half. Allar relieved him at the end of the third quarter, throwing two touchdown passes while running one in on his own.

Allar went 10 of 13 for 2 TDs and 163 yards with no sacks, while Howard went 10 of 11 for 93 yards and one sack. That’s about as good as anyone could have hoped for or expected.

But if you were to judge their performance by reactions on social media, you’d think the Steelers suddenly had a Joe Montana-Steve Young situation on their hands. OK, perhaps that exaggerates things slightly, but it is amazing to see the number of people who are ready to cut Mason Rudolph after watching Howard and Allar.

Yes, both Howard and Allar looked good, but they did most of their work playing against guys who, in a month’s time, will count themselves lucky if they land a tryout with the Brooklyn Pharaohs.

In contrast, the vast majority of the men Mason Rudolph played against will make the Packers’ opening day roster, and many will start. What really stuck out about Rudolph was his poise.

He didn’t have great pass protection, and Travis Homer wasn’t exactly “pounding the rock.” Yet he remained in command of the offense at all times to the point where his best pass of the night was officially an incomplete one:

Yes, we can and should be pleased to see Howard and Allar get off to good starts. But if Aaron Rodgers should become unavailable, this is the kind of quarterback I want taking his place.

3. Reclamation ROI in Real Time?

The Steelers defense put up a lot of stats, and several players made eye-catching plays. But the one man who really stood out was cornerback Asante Samuel Jr..

When Joey Porter Jr.’s hold-in began, someone on social media speculated that he might be in the process of Wally Pipping himself. That’s a bit extreme. But Asante Samuel Jr. played extremely well, and at this point looks to be a real asset in the secondary.

Rookie safety and 7th round draft pick Robert Spears-Jennings also looked good.

4. Wetjen Strikes Just When You Least Expect It

The only real eyebrow raising choice in the Steelers 2026 draft class was using a fourth-rounder on Kaden Wetjen. The Steelers drafted him as a kick returner, as he had a total of 13 catches in his college career.

And throughout training camp wise scribes such as Jim Wexell and Roy Countryman have been telling us that Wetjen’s been looking extremely sharp as a return man, but didn’t figure to be a factor in the passing game.

Against the Packers, Wetjen got to return 3 kicks and 2 punts and, while he didn’t do anything to look bad, he also did nothing special. No sooner did that thought occur to me than Drew Allar found him on this slant route:

  • Quite impressive, even if a stumble cost him a touchdown.

Yet, Allar found him later in the end zone, and the evening ended with Wetjen leading the Steelers in receiving yards and catching a touchdown.

Kaden Wetjet catches a touchdown from Drew Allar during the Steelers 2026 preseason win over the Packers

Kaden Wetjet catches a Drew Allar touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The odds favor Wetjet’s 79-yard streaking reception to be more of a Matthew Thomas type play (name ring a bell but can’t quite place this one? Then click here) than Franco Harris taking it to the house in his preseason debut, but he did show us that we shouldn’t sleep on him being a part of the wide receiving room.

5. A Word About the Offense

The Steelers offense scored four touchdowns, had 17 first downs, converted 7 of 13 third downs and had a slight edge in time of possession. The numbers alone, of course, in a preseason game tell us next to nothing.

  • But the unit passed “the eye test.”

In the heyday of Kenny Pickett’s preseason glory days the Steelers offense put together some nice drives, but they had a video game feel too them dissipated immediately once the games counted for real.

In the booth during the game Art Rooney II described Mike McCarthy as “meticulous” and this is how his offense felt. Even when you control for the quality of competition, the Steelers offense played like a unit that knew what it wanted to do, and was going out and doing it. And the maintained that same “look and feel” with three separate quarterbacks.

Finally, seeing rookie fullback Riley Nowakowski lining up in a Power-I Formation early in the game? That was a true cherry on top.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is only preseason. Let’s keep it real. But it’s far better to look good than to look bad.

 

 

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Mike McCarthy’s “No Tackling” in Steelers Training Camp? What Does and Doesn’t Mean

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Like most Steelers fans, Mike McCarthy disappointed me when he announced there would be no live tackling during Steelers training camp this summer at St. Vincents.

The reaction is understandable. Toughness forms an innate part of the Steelers self-identity. There’s a reason why, at one time at least, the toll-free number for phone ordering Steelers merchandise was 1-800-TUF-TEAM.

Lew Nichols stiff arms an unnamed defender at Steelers training camp at St. Vincents College.

Lew Nichols gets away with a stiff arm. Would it have been as easy had there been tackling? Photo Credit: Jordan Perez, Steelers.com

But Mike McCarthy’s announcement triggered memories of two other “Mikes” from Steelers history, one many have forgotten and another everyone remembers. And those memories have helped bring into focus what physicality in practice means to that identity of toughness.

The Mike everyone forgets is Mike Merriweather, whom Tony Defeo rightly identified as “Pittsburgh’s forgotten outside linebacker.”

I can vividly remember as a 15-year-old sitting at my grandmother’s kitchen table in 1988, reading in the Pittsburgh Press or Post Gazette, about Merriweather’s holdout for either a new contract or a trade.

But Merriweather explained he wanted to stay with the Steelers because, in part, he’d observed the San Francisco 49ers practices and “they barely hit” or words to that effect.

Mike Merriweather, Edmund Nelson, John Elway, Steelers vs Broncos 1984, Mike Merriweather Steelers career

Mike Merriweather and Edmund Nelson close in on John Elway. Photo Credit: Pin Interest

In the summer of ’88, the Steelers still owned a 4-2 advantage over the 49ers in the Lombardi count. To this 15-year old, Merriweather’s comment offered existential proof not only of why the Steelers should but also why they would maintain that advantage.

The other Mike that everyone remembers is of course Mike Tomlin who launched live, full-contact tackling at Steelers training camp on July 31st 2013.

This was big news. Mark Kaboly of the Tribune Review claimed it was the first time full contact had been allowed in 10 years. Chris Bradford of the Beaver Times reported it was a first since The Emperor Chuck Noll’s reign.

In July of 2013 the Steelers were coming off an 8-8 finish in 2012 punctuated by a December meltdown. Tomlin insisted that adopting live-tackling policy was unrelated to 2012, just as Bruce Stringsteen assures us that the implosion of his first marriage had zero influence on his songwriting or Tunnel of Love….

  • Steelers Nation rejoiced.

If any fans had problems with Tomlin’s no live tackling, no go cart training camp, they sure did keep quiet about it on social media. And since then, Steelers fans have taken pride whenever a newly arrived free agent, such as Patrick Queen, remarked at how much more physical practices are in Pittsburgh.

Again, if you’re reading this, you probably feel the same way.

  • But we also must ask: Did Tomlin’s full contact approach work?

Let’s go back to 2013 opener against the Tennessee Titans. When the afternoon began, the Steelers RB No. 1 was injured, their two top tight ends were out and 3 players on injured reserve. By the time the afternoon was over the Steelers would:

Now let’s remember: correlation does not equal causality.

Football is brutal. Mike Tomlin could have banned all contact in training camp and David DeCastro still would have ended Pouncey’s season by falling on and breaking his leg.

But injury is the back story behind most of the chapters of the Steelers disappointing post-Super Bowl XLV playoff story.

There’s no need to re-live the memories of watching practice squad running backs and wide receivers start playoff games. Nor must we repeat visions of losing stars like Cam Heyward, Bud Dupree or T.J. Watt just as the last leaves fall off the trees, turkey leftovers get finished or the Christmas decorations get put away.

  • Did live tackling in training camp contribute to those injuries?

There’s no way to be sure. But only a select few argue more contact makes them less likely.*

That doesn’t mean that physicality can’t foster a willing culture – Bill Cowher famously used a late-season padded practice to break a 3-game losing streak and spark the 2005 Steelers on a run that ended in victory at Super Bowl XL.

Sure, the old school Steelers fan in me thinks there “should” be live tackling at St. Vincent’s this summer. But if the Steelers can still maintain their physical edge while staying even just a little healthier for December and January football then Mike McCarthy will have delivered a competitive edge.

Oh, and if my adult self could go back and have a “Just Sayin” moment with the 15-year-0ld me: Despite those hard hitting practices the 1988 Steelers finished 5-11. As for the 1988 San Francisco 49ers? They won the Super Bowl.

*In his autobiography In the Locker Room, Tunch Ilkin makes this exact argument. I’m not sure I agree, but Tunch was a lot closer to the game than I am and I respect his opinion enough to share it here.

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How Ed Thompson’s Photo of D.K. Metcalf Captures Magic & Mystery of Steelers Training Camp

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Steelers training camp creates a magic and mystery that SteelersNow photographer Ed Thompson captured magnificently with his photo of D.K. Metcalf and Daylen Everette.

If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look:

Steelers wide out D.K. Metcalf and rookie cornerback Daylen Everett duel it out at St. Vincents in the summer of 2026.

D.K. Metcalf and Daylen Everett vie for an Aaron Rodgers pass at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Ed Thompson, via SteelersNow

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” ladies and gentleman, see above for exhibit A.

  • Judged on strictly aesthetic terms, Thompson’s photo stands as an outstanding work of art.

Photography should never be “Pritchard Scaled” (Google “Dead Poets Society Pritchard Scale scene” kids), but Thompson simultaneously delivers the grace and exhilaration of two football players striving for end zone excellence and done it with perfect proportions.

Dig a step deeper, and you see the subjects of Thompson’s uniting to symbolize something far greater than themselves.

When the networks first broached the NFL about broadcasting the draft, league executives initially balked asking – “Who would want to watch a bunch of names being called out at a podium?”

Today the NFL draft ranks only behind the Super Bowl and, perhaps, the conference championships in terms of viewership. And everyone understands why: the NFL isn’t selling names from a podium at the draft, it is selling hope.

  • Training camp is the time when that abstract hope begins to transform itself into palpable possibility.

And the ariel duel between D.K. Metcalf and Daylen Everette vying for an Aaron Rodger’s pass unveils this process in real time.

  • Metcalf had his ups and his downs in 2025.

Thompson’s photo shows us how Metcalf just might change things for the better in 2026.

St. Vincents provides Steelers Nation with its hallowed ground. Today we call it Chuck Noll Field because Noll built the foundation of four Super Bowl champions on that grass. Two other summers have seen Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin follow in his footsteps.

And Ed Thompson’s photo of Metcalf and Everette gives us our first visual suggestion that Mike McCarthy might to the same – that’s the magic of training camp.

Sometimes these flashes from St. Vincents translate sustain themselves into something bigger and more substantial  in the regular season and beyond….

…And sometimes they don’t. That’s the mystery training camp.

And thanks to Ed Thompson, we see it all in a single shot.

Editor’s note: You can see three more shots of Thompson’s entire sequence here on X. You can follow Ed Thompson’s work here on X and here on SteelersNow.

 

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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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Aaron Rodgers Returns: Straight Talk on The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

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The “wait” is over. Aaron Rodgers will return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 season. The 21-year NFL veteran and 4-time league MVP is in Pittsburgh and is expected to sign a one-year deal with a base salary in the neighborhood of 22 million dollars.

  • Steelers OTAs begin this week and he is expected to participate.

The move has been expected since shortly after Mike McCarthy was hired to replace Mike Tomlin, although the sound and fury generated on social media could have led you to conclude otherwise.

Now that Rodgers is under contract, its time for some straight talk on the situation, taking a look at the good, bad and the ugly behind his return.

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Ravens

Aaron Rodgers Runs it In. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, Steelers.com

The Good: Rodgers Steelers Best QB Since Roethlisberger

The Aaron Rodgers we saw suit up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 certainly wasn’t the same man that beat them in Super Bowl XLV.

But you know what?

That 41-year old Aaron Rodgers provided the best quarterbacking the Pittsburgh Steelers have seen since Ben Roethlisberger during the 2018 season.

Doubt that? Then take yourselves through “The Tale of Two Decembers in Pittsburgh.”

The Steelers had created a strong tailwind for themselves entering December 2024. They ended up losing 4 straight games to the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals before getting Ridiculed by the Ravens in the playoffs.

In contrast, the Steelers entered December 2025 fighting a terrible a headwind they created for themselves in October and November.

They won 4 games out of 5, beating the Baltimore Ravens twice, snuffing out the the Miami Dolphins’ mini late-season surge, and beating the Detroit Lions on the road.

Calvin Austin catches to go ahead touchdown pass during the 2025 Steelers regular season finale win over the Ravens.

Calvin Austin catches the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

The difference? Aaron Rodgers succeeded in 2025 in doing what Russell Wilson tried and failed to do in 2024 – he elevated his play and lifted the entire team.

The Bad: Steelers STILL Lack Long Term QB

Of course there’s also the reality that Aaron Rodgers was just as unsuccessful, and arguably worse, than Russell Wilson was in the playoffs for the Steelers. And there’s no sugar coating one simple  reality: Aaron Rodgers struggled against elite defenses in 2025.

Worse yet, one of the main sources of his struggles was his lack of mobility, and anyone over 40 can assure you that this kind of thing does not get better with age.

Aaron Rodgers safety, Khalil Mack, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Chargers, Steelers vs Chargers SNF,

Khalil Mack sacks Aaron Rodgers for a safety. Photo Credit: IMAGN Images, via Tribune-Review

By bringing Aaron Rodgers back, the Steelers have secured a signal caller who, if he remains healthy can keep them competitive and win them games. But can he really take them on a serious playoff run, let alone a Super Bowl run?

The smart money says no.

And that means the Steelers will likely start off the 2027 off season the way they have for the last decade – lacking both a long-term answer at quarterback and the means to secure one.

The Ugly: Click Baiters Content Stream Cut Off

The “ugly” of Aaron Rodgers signing now at the beginning of OTAs as opposed to say, before minicamp in June is that it deprives a legion of commentators, bloggers and social media “experts” of what has been a primary source of content and clicks this off season.

Since February at least, hardly a day has passed without some “Insider” assuring us that the Steelers “Are Losing Patience,” or a headline screaming “Rodgers Seen Wearing Jets Gear,” or “Steelers Legend Declares ‘Enough is Enough,’ Calls on Franchise to Issue Rodgers an Ultimatum” or “Washington Federals Emerge as Yet Another Potential Rodgers suitor….”

  • That doesn’t mean that their arguments are wrong or that their critiques lack merit.

But most if not all of these these “insiders” or “experts” and/or “Steelers legends” based their claims on speculation, rather than sources.

Yet, each claim got magnified and amplified on social media ad nauseam. With each sunrise, the cycle renewed itself.

  • Alas, now they’ll be forced to find something else to fret about.

For them, that’s ugly. For those who aren’t fans of clickbait, its kinda pretty.

Straight Talk on Aaron Rodgers’ Return to the Steelers

Fact: The Steelers lack a long-term answer at quarterback, and Aaron Rodgers return does nothing to change that.
Fact: Aaron Rodgers was the best option the Steelers had to start at quarterback in 2026.
Opinion: Trying to win with Rodgers is better than playing for draft position

It is possible, as The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo suggests, that instead of serving as a “bridge quarterback”  Aaron Rodgers could end up being a road block to finding the next long term signal caller.

Fair enough. But Art Rooney II is right on the money when he commits to trying to compete each year. The idea of “ripping off the Band Aid” facilitating a “bottoming out” looks good on paper. And is probably a viable strategy Fantasy Football owers use reguarly.

  • But how effectively have Cleveland Browns used that strategy since 1999?

It is true that the Steelers 6-10 2003 season opened the door to Pittsburgh’s second Super Bowl era by allowing them to draft Ben Roethlisberger.

But the franchise didn’t go into 2003 planning to tank. The 2002 Steelers were a bogus roughing the kicker penalty away from playing in the AFC Championship.

Dan Rooney was on record saying he expected the 2003 team to contend for a title.

  • Contend for a title they did in 2004.

There are a lot of reasons for that: Roethlisberger’s arrival, Dick LeBeau’s return, better injury luck, Ken Whisenhunt re-establishing the run, etc….

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Ravens, Chad Williams

Chad Williams sacks Ben Roethlisberger in his first NFL game. Photo Credit: Nick Wass, Getty Images, via SteelersWire.

But what allowed Bill Cowher and the 2004 Steelers to bring those elements together was the commitment to winning forged as the ’03 Steelers fought for every blade of grass, right through to final gun in overtime in their season-ending loss to the Ravens.

  • Playing to win pays long-term dividends. Period.

And that’s why Rooney, Khan and McCarthy are right to bring back Rodgers in 2026.

Aaron Rodgers, welcome back to Pittsburgh.

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Steelers 2026 Draft Class Emphasizes Offense and Versatility

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The 2026 NFL Draft is in the history books.

Record crowds came to Pittsburgh. We saw a veritable parade of Steelers Hall of Famers strut the stage, from Jerome Bettis, to Mel Blount, to Lynn Swann & John Stallworth to Hines Ward. Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger embraced.

Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy selected 10 players to form the Steelers 2026 Draft Class. Khan traded up twice, traded down once, made one rather infamous phone call, and closed the draft with a hometown hero story that Barry Levinson couldn’t have scripted better. (Hum, could Levinson, a Baltimore native, have had a hand in scripting the Lemon trade….?)

Steelers 2026 draft picks Germie Bernard, Daylen Everette, Drew Allar and Gennings Dunker.

Germie Bernard, Daylen Everette, Drew Allar and Gennings Dunker. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, Steelers.com

Before we can unpack what it all means, let’s take a look at the newest members of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steelers 2026 Draft Class at a Glance:

Round 1: Max Iheanachor, Offensive Tackle, Arizona State
Round 2: Germie Bernard, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Round 3: Drew Allar, Quarterback, Penn State
Round 3: Daylen Everette, Cornerback, Georgia
Round 3: Gennings Dunker, Guard, Iowa
Round 4: Kaden Wetjen, Return Specialist/WR, Iowa
Round 5: Riley Nowakowski, Fullback, Indiana
Round 6: Gabriel Rubio, Defensive End, Notre Dame
Round 7: Robert Spears-Jennings, Safety, Oklahoma
Round 7: Eli Heidenreich, Running Back-Wide Receiver, Navy

So what grade do Khan and McCarthy get for this draft?

Ask me in 5 years.

Seriously. Chuck Noll waited 5 years to judge draft classes, and if that was good enough for him, it is good enough for me. With that said the Steelers 2026 draft class has already given us a few early lessons.

The obvious one is that Khan and McCarthy leaned in heavily on offense. Given the JVness of the Steelers offenses in 2023, 2024 and 2025 that’s logical. But there are other, deeper lessons to be found.

Putting the Malik Lemon Draft-Day Miss in Historical Perspective

As everyone knows, Omar Khan was on the phone with Malik Lemon while Dallas was on the clock, only to have the Eagles trade up and draft Lemon, leaving the Steelers to scramble and draft Max Iheanachor instead.

The social media general managers in Steelers Nation pounced, torching Omar Khan for mishandling the situation.

Let’s put this phone call and the draft day “miss” with Malik Lemon into perspective…

…Once upon a time the NFL had an 800 pound gorilla that dominated the draft. This gorilla used the draft to transform a team that won 4 games in two seasons into a team that won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years with only 3-year ramp. The gorilla’s name was Jimmy Johnson

During the 1992 NFL Draft, Johnson sent an assistant coach, contract in hand, to Leon Searcy’s home. The idea was to draft Searcy, sign him and get him on a plane before the ink dried.

Alas Jimmy Johnson ran into a little problem.

Tom Donahoe and Bill Cowher drafted Leon Searcy before he could. This was long before the digital age, yet the story dominated draft coverage on Big 3, CNN and especially ESPN….

…Except it didn’t.

The world had to wait for Jim Wexell’s On the Clock to tell that story.

Leon Searcy was an excellent tackle and, in the Heinz Field era, likely would have been a life-long Steeler. But after missing out on Searcy, Jimmy Johnson traded down and drafted Kevin Smith.

Emmit Smith, Levon Kirkland, Greg Lloyd, Carnell Lake, Steelers vs Cowboys, Super Bowl XXX, Super Bowl 30

Levon Kirkland and Greg Lloyd tackle Emmitt Smith in Super Bowl XXX. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Kevin Smith played 103 games for the Dallas Cowboys, started 93 of them, made 19 interceptions, forced 7 fumbles and made UPI’s 2nd team All-Conference squad in 1996. He retired with 3 Super Bowl rings, including one for the Cowboys win over the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.

The moral of the story is this: Judge not by who you missed, but who you picked after pivoting.

Why Versatility Defines the Steelers 2026 Draft Class

“Versatile.” “We won’t know exactly how he fits until we see him work with the group as a whole.” In some form or fashion, we heard those words from the Steelers coaching staff throughout the 2026 NFL Draft.

  • Yet, many Steelers commentators acted as if that’s a bad thing.

This started with the Eagles swooping in to draft Malik Lemon, forcing the Steelers to go back to their board and draft Max Iheanachor instead. Judging by his non-verbal behavior, Mike McCarthy was: 1. Glad to get Ihenachor and 2: Had little idea of how he’d fit into the Steelers line up.

  • Let’s embrace the elephant in the room.

Watching a beaming head coach or general manager explain exactly how a first round pick fits into their system breeds confidence.

But let’s acknowledge the flip side: The NFL Draft is a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.

The point is that one of the worst things an NFL coaching staff can do is try to force players into a system that’s not suited for them. Bill Parcells drafted James Farrior as an outside linebacker where he was OK. Kevin Colbert brought him to Pittsburgh, Bill Cowher moved him inside, and he’s one of the best Steelers free agent signings ever.

By and large, forcing guys into systems they were unsuited for wasn’t a major issue during the Tomlin era.

But those who remember Joe Walton and Kevin Gilbride stints as offensive coordinator know just how caustic coaches trying to force square pegs into round holes can be.

Based on the post-draft press conferences, this won’t be an issue under Mike McCarthy.

The Draft = NFL’s Land of Hope and Dreams

It is fitting that the Steelers book-ended 2026 NFL Draft with Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw hugging and drafting Mt. Lebanon native Eli Heidenreich because the draft is all about reconciling hopes with dreams.

Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw hug at the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw hug at the 2026 NFL Draft. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, Steelers.com

It will be a while before we know how strong the Steelers 2026 Draft Class is. If 5 of the 10 newest Steelers “make it” as pro football players then that will make this draft an outstanding success.

Some guys won’t make the cut. Injuries will fell others. At least one will be a numbers game causality. That’s just the harsh reality of the NFL.

  • But let’s worry about that another day.

The NFL draft is a veritable “Land of Hopes and Dreams” (yes, that’s an intentional shout out to Springsteen.) Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy gave 10 men legitimate hope of realizing their NFL dream. Let’s let them enjoy that for a time, and as they continue to strive to be the best they can be.

And best of all? They’ll do it in Black and Gold.

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5 Steelers Draft Lessons Omar Khan Must Apply in the 2026 NFL Draft

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The 2026 NFL Draft is days away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting on a mother lode of draft picks. Thanks to trades, compensatory picks and hoarding his own, Omar Khan has 12 choices at his disposal in the upcoming draft.

  • Those picks open many possibilities for Pittsburgh.

But to be successful, the Steelers brain trust must make wise decisions. With that in mind, let’s take a look at lessons Steelers draft history teaches us.

This is the latest article in our Steelers 2026 Draft coverage.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

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

1. Challenge Conventional Wisdom on Compensatory Picks

Omar Khan is already learning this lesson in real time. Last spring Khan’s focus in free agency was to stockpile compensatory picks so he could trade up in what was supposed to be a QB-rich draft.

“Stockpile compensatory picks Khan has, but QB poor has this draft turned out to be,” in Yoda speak.

  • Other drafts teach a similar lesson.

The Steelers went into the 1998 draft with 14 picks. Tom Donahoe made no bones about trading some of those, boasting, “There’s no way 14 rookies can make our team.”

Donahoe was right. It’s near-impossible to imagine 14 rookies making any non-expansion NFL roster. Yet, Donahoe’s claim was laced with a touch of latent arrogance.

Stub from April 1st 1998 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette detailing the Steelers compensatory draft picks.

Stub from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1, 1998. Thanks to Gordon Gordon Dedman, @SteelUK for supplying this.

Free agent exoduses had been the norm in Pittsburgh throughout the 1990s. The 1997 Steelers AFC Championship loss seemed to have proven franchise could defy gravity. Instead, 1998 was the year the Steelers came crashing back down to earth.

Now, several things led to Bill Cowher’s first losing season in 1998, but a wiser use of draft choices could have helped avert that (see below.)

2. Initial Story Lines Come with a Grain of Salt

The NFL Draft is such a successful media event because its core product is hope. And best way to sell hope is with a good story. And that’s perfectly fine, as long as you remember that many of the initial stories spawned on draft day won’t come to fruition, or at least not the way you expect them to.

When the Steelers drafted him, Chris Berman and company mused about whether Ward’s arrival heralded the advent of Slash II. (“Slash” is of course Kordell Stewart, whose play as a QB/WR/RB helped propel the 1995 Steelers all the way to Super Bowl XXX.)

Ward after all had played quarterback and running back in addition to wide receiver at Georgia. Both the Post-Gazette and Tribune Review ran articles exploring the “Slash” angle.

Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL, Steelers Super Bowl XL, Antwaan Randle El Hines Ward Super Bowl XL

Hines Ward seals the win in Super Bowl XL. Photo Credit: Bill Frakes, Sports Illustrated

They were great draft-day stories, and Ward authored a Hall of Fame-worthy resume which included his MVP performance in Super Bowl XL. But he only threw two passes in his NFL career.

3. Good Drafts Age Like Fine Wine

To borrow from Eddie Van Halen, a “Right Here, Right Now” mentality dominates the NFL draft.

People go to the inane extent of grading mock drafts. Before the ink on draft cards even dries, we’re bombarded by “draft grades.”

That’s fun. It generates clicks. But no amount of page views can alter the simple reality that judging a draft takes several years. Tom Donahoe’s final drafts in Pittsburgh prove that point.

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney decisions, Tom Donahoe, Bill Cowher, Tom Modark, Steelers 1992 Draft

Tom Donahoe, Tom Modark, Dan Rooney and Bill Cowher in the Steelers 1992 draft room. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Dan Rooney fired Tom Donahoe after the 1999 Steelers finished 6-10. Rooney’s main reason was that Donahoe and Cowher were barely on speaking terms. But at the time, many also questioned Donahoe’s personnel decisions, particularly his recent drafts.

The 1998 and 1999 drafts brought Alan Faneca, Hines Ward, Deshea Townsend, Joey Porter, Sr. and Aaron Smith to Pittsburgh. Today, we see them as foundational players of the Steelers second Super Bowl Era.

  • But that would have been a hard sell when Kevin Colbert was hired in 2000.

Aaron Smith was an unknown. Joey Porter Sr. was the pre-season sensation that Carlos Emmons had kept on the bench. Deshea Townsend had started 4 games and wouldn’t start full-time until Dick LeBeau returned in 2004.

Kevin Colbert actively tried to replace Hines Ward in his first draft and, in the pages of the Steelers Digest, Bob Labriola was raising questions, albeit in measured tones, about Alan Faneca.

Yes. Like Riglos Gran Crote, good drafts age well with time.

4. Measure Drafts by Quality, Not Quantity

True to his word, Tom Donahoe didn’t draft 14 players, trading a 2nd, a 3rd and a 5th to move up to get Jeremy Staat in the 2nd round. So Donahoe gave up 3 picks to get one player who made 2 career starts. Anyone of those picks could have been to add a much-needed offensive tackle or wide receiver.

On the flip side, the Steelers picked 13 players in the 2003 and 2004 drafts. And collectively, those drafts only yielded 4 starters. Sounds pretty damning doesn’t it? Well, it does, until you consider that those starters were Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, Max Starks and Ben Roethlisberger.

Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, AFC Championship

Ben Roethlisberger hugs Troy Polmalu after the AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Pin Interest

The Steelers don’t win either Super Bowl XL or Super Bowl XLIII if they’re missing any one of those players. Joe Flacco, Matt Hasselbeck or Ken Whisenhunt would all agree.

The lesson for Omar Khan? When in doubt, draft the next Hall of Famer.

5. Steelers Should be Swindlers Not Suckers

Like their predecessors, there’s little chance Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy will draft 12 players later this week. Khan, as we know, likes to wheel-and-deal.

And while most of the focus is on who Khan should trade up for, where he should do it and how much he should give up, the Steelers would be wise try to trade 2026 picks for picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.

How might this dynamic play out? Khan’s own words from the George Pickens trade press conference guide us. This is how Khan explained the value of draft picks:

But, yeah, when you’re, the day of the draft or going through the draft, every one of those picks feels like they’re the greatest pick. You don’t want to get rid of them. They’re valuable. They’re all important.

Here’s the simple English take away: Suckers are born every minute in the NFL draft.

  • The Steelers have been suckers in the past.

During the 2013 NFL Draft, Steelers traded their 2014 third round pick for a 2013 4th rounder get Shamarko Thomas (Ouch!). In the 2021 NFL Draft they traded their 2022 fourth rounder to get a 2021 5th rounder to draft Isaiahh Loudermilk (ouch!)

It takes two to tango — Khan can’t simply snap his fingers and turn one (or two) of the Steelers 2026 thirds in to 2027 seconds. Moreover, the Bengals-Giants Dexter Lawrence trade suggests there’ll be a buyer’s market in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Sounds like its time for someone to go out and remind us why we call him the Khan artist…..

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Steelers 2026 NFL Draft Needs at Quarterback

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For a second straight season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will enter the NFL draft with their starting quarterback undefined. Yet, unlike 2024 and 2025, the Steelers are not turning over their entire quarterback room.

That sounds, but does it represent progress? And if so, how might it impact the Steelers plans at quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let’s dive in.

This is the first article in our Steelers 2026 Draft series.

Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Aaron Rodgers catch at Acrisure during pregame warm ups.

Will Steelers “run” it back with the trio of Rodgers, Rudolph and Howard? Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Steelers QB Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starter

The NFL draft is 15 days away, and the Steelers don’t have a starting quarterback. Everyone from Art Rooney II, to Omar Khan and to Mike McCarthy both wants and expects Aaron Rodgers to be that man.

But Rodgers remains unsigned. Ergo he’s not the starter.

The Steelers QB Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Back Ups

There’s one name that you never hear bandied about when the Steelers discuss their quarterback situation. Yet, if Rodgers doesn’t sign, the odds favor him starting on opening day.

Rudolph was Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert’s “compromise” pick in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Rudolph was starting by the middle of week 2 in 2019. Then, save for a single start in 2021, Rudolph was all but forgotten about before coming off the bench in late 2023 to win three straight starts, save Christmas and secure a playoff berth.

Then the Steelers let him walk in free agency. Rudolph spent a year in Tennessee, before returning in 2025.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs Bengals

Mason Rudolph stands tall in the pocket. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Last year Mason Rudolph saw action in two games: First in relief of Rodgers against the Bengals at Acrisure and then in a start against the Bears at Soldier Field.

  • Rudolph resembled a “starter-capable” quarterback coming off the bench in Pittsburgh.
  • Unfortunately, his start in Chicago reminded us why the NFL only sees him as a backup.

Behind Mason Rudolph stands Will Howard, whom the Steelers drafted in the 6th round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Has Steelers Nation ever seen a more ballyhooed, untested, 6th round quarterback?

Perhaps Jim Miller could give Howard a run for his money if you control for the lack of social media.  But even then, Tom Donahoe and Bill Cowher never dropped Miller’s name the way Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy are dropping Howard’s.

In many ways, Will Howard serves as a Rorschach Test for how you see the Steelers quarterback situation:  Either he’s the next Tom Brady just waiting for his chance to prove himself, or he exemplifies just how badly the Steelers are managing the post-Roethlisberger transition.

That’s the only way to describe him, because although Howard looked good early in training camp last summer, he got hurt and spent most of his time at St. Vincents holding a clipboard, went on IR and remained there until November 12th.

  • Mike McCarthy has said that Howard should have gone before the 6th round.
  • Many draft experts agree.

Clearly McCarthy is ready to give Will Howard a chance to prove himself, but it is just as obvious that either Will Howard will have to do a lot of things right or a lot of other things will have to go wrong for him to end up starting games for the Steelers in 2026.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Quarterback

“I’m not sure why you waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” declared Art Rooney II the day after Mike Tomlin resigned.

Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Needs ScaleAgree or disagree, that is the franchise philosophy.

That being the case, signing Aaron Rodgers gives the Pittsburgh Steelers the best chance to compete, for the least risk and at the lowest possible cost in 2026.

Yet, if that’s true – and it is – then another inconvenient truth remains:

  • The Steelers still lack a long-term solution at quarterback.

Most talent evaluators believe that, the long-term answer at quarterback isn’t there to be found in this draft. But that doesn’t alter the reality that heading into the 2026 NFL Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers needs at quarterback are High.

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