The Pittsburgh Steelers closed out Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and minicamp at the end of last week and won't start training camp until July 26th in Latrobe. This leaves a lot of time for a lot of people to make comments about the battle at the quarterback position in Pittsburgh. Everyone will make their prediction of who the starter will be come Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Former NFL QB and Pittsburgh native, Gus Frerotte went on 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday to discuss the Steelers' current QB battle.
(L-R) Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky | Justin Berl/Getty Images; Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
Show Host, Andrew Fillipponi asked Frerotte:
"We had Bill Cowher audio earlier where he said if you go into a training camp with three quarterbacks competing for a starting job, it's a mess. Three is just too many guys to divvy up the snaps. You've been involved in quarterback competitions. Do you agree with Coach Cowher's take?"
"Yeah, definitely. I think that if anything, two is the most you want to go in with. Three is way too hard because you just don't have enough. The same receiver can't run the same route every time. And so the third guy is taking a snap thrown to a third receiver, but it's the same play and it doesn't work out the same. So I think that two is the best that you should do to really look at who your starter is going to be this season."
Steelers' QB Mason Rudolph makes a throw in OTA's (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Should Steelers move on from Mason Rudolph?
That subliminally leaves out QB Mason Rudolph, according to Frerotte. It's that simple, the quarterback has had ample opportunity to showcase that he belongs in this competition and he hasn't taken advantage of his in-game reps. He may have been getting QB2 reps in May and June, but how much does that really matter? We all know that it's going to come down to Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky. Rudolph has remained stagnant in his time in Pittsburgh and he just doesn't seem to fit the system of offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, as well as the other two quarterbacks. Frerotte leaves out Rudolph in his next answer as well:
"I don't think it's a big mystery of what's going to happen in Pittsburgh. I do think Mitch is probably going to be the starter. That's what I would do. And I would say that Kenny Picket probably is going to be the backup because if something happens to Mitch or things [are] not going well, then Kenny's going to come in and get some experience because we know that with Ben [Roethlisberger] leaving, how much do we expect to happen this year anyway?"
Frerotte's statement clearly exhibits low expectations for the Steelers this season. I don't agree with that take, but I do agree that this battle is going to come down to Pickett or Trubisky starting come Week 1. Frerotte cited experience and growth when asked why he felt like Trubisky will start at QB for the Steelers in Week 1.
Aug 21, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10) smiles after a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
"Because I think he's just experienced. Obviously, I feel like right now Mitch has had a lot of experience compared to Kenny, even Mason, and I think that he gained a lot of experience being a backup in Buffalo. And I don't think that if you look at his career when he was in Chicago, he had one of the best coaches. I never felt like that guy did quarterbacks any justice when he was coaching them. So I feel like that he's a good player. He's gained a ton of experience in the NFL. And I mean, with our defense here in Pittsburgh, you don't have to go in and win it. You just can't go in and lose it."
When asked why not Pickett, "the hometown hero" this season? Frerotte responded:
"I feel like it's a veteran team because Coach [Mike] Tomlin and the crew has been there an awful long time. Everybody knows the Steelers really well. They play like veterans, no matter if they're young or old. They just do such a good job and they want a guy that can come in and be solid. And I feel like with Kenny, there are still unknowns. Yes, he was a great quarterback in college. Yes, he did amazing things at Pittsburgh. We all want him to play, but I don't see any harm in letting him sit, watch, learn, take it all in, and then he's probably going to be the guy that you went out there for years and years to come."
Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback, Mitch Trubisky (#10) participates in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Wednesday June 1, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
We're not alone in thinking this is a two-man race. Frerotte's breakdown of why Trubisky over Pickett this season makes a lot of sense. It would be ideal for a rookie QB to sit and learn in his first season.
Check out the the entire interview below:
What do yinz think about former NFL QB Gus Frerotte’s comments on the Steelers' QB competition? Let us know in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
#SteelerNation
