Steelers Rumors: Some Within Organization Confused By QB Plan

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a perplexing position with their starting quarterback, and that’s a sentiment that isn’t exclusively felt outside the organization either.

Pittsburgh knew last season’s starting tandem of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields was slated for free agency long before the time came, and still, all the front office has to show for its need of a go-to signal caller is a reunion with Mason Rudolph. That isn’t nearly as promising as the ongoing list of names the Steelers have linked themselves to would’ve been had the front office managed to acquire a noteworthy veteran quarterback.

Instead, word on the street is that uncertainty and confusion have begun to spread amongst the franchise.

“There are other people, certainly in the organization, in the locker room, who are just going like, ‘What are we doing?  We’re back for offseason workouts in 10 days. We’re coming up on the NFL Draft. What is the plan?'” NFL insider Tom Pelissero said Thursday while hosting “The Rich Eisen Show.”

Throwing your hat in the ring makes sense when the opportunity to improve presents itself. Pittsburgh went all out to acquire star wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks, and it worked out — both in the trade and Metcalf’s five-year, $150 million extension to stick around. However, there’s still a risk factor and Pittsburgh is starting to feel the heat of what consequences could arise from its approach in seeking a new starting quarterback.

This is something the Steelers have been battling ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022, and as a result, the franchise has gone nine years straight without netting a playoff victory.

“It was supposed to be Kenny Pickett. That ended up being a miss,” Pelissero continued. “You tried last year in going the cheap angle, bringing Russ, bringing Fields, hoping one of them works out. You tried bringing Fields back. He chose to go to the (New York) Jets, and it’s hard to blame him after how last season played out. They had interest in Matthew Stafford. They still have interest in Aaron Rodgers. It’s not for lack of trying. It’s not even just going, ‘Oh, we’re just gonna go with Mason Rudolph.’ But at some point, that might be the plan.”

Pittsburgh has also met with a few quarterback prospects, including Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Tyler Shough (Louisville) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) before this month’s 2025 NFL Draft.

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