The Pittsburgh Steelers were blessed not to have to deal with significant quarterback controversy for 18 seasons while they had Ben Roethlisberger as the face of the franchise. When he retired at the end of the 2021 season, the team did not have an immediate answer for his absence. They had drafted Mason Rudolph in the third round in 2018, but he had not yet shown he could be the trusted starter.
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Steelers' former quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger (7) and Mason Rudolph (2).
They thought they found the answer in 2022 when they selected Kenny Pickett. Pittsburgh also signed Mitch Trubisky, who'd been a backup for the Buffalo Bills. Despite the words said, the competition between Pickett, Trubisky, and Rudolph at camp felt predetermined. So, no one was surprised when Trubisky landed the starting job so Pickett could learn behind him.
Unfortunately, Trubisky underperformed and was benched for Pickett a few weeks into the season. During the almost two years that Pickett started, he struggled. He had some nice come-from-behind wins, but couldn't regularly get the ball in the end zone.
With all three players gone and Russell Wilson and Justin Fields headed to camp to compete, it raises the question of if the Steelers handled the quarterback situation poorly or if it was just an unfortunate coincidence. Recently, Mark Kaboly, the Steelers reporter for The Athletic, joined Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Christopher Carter on his podcast, Locked on Steelers. Carter asked Kaboly how he views the handling of quarterbacks in the Steel City.
"It's been problems, right," asked Kaboly. "Pickett never was given a chance his first year. It's been well documented about Mason Rudolph being a third-round pick and he was considered a first-round grade and what do they do? They don't have a quarterback coach for him and make him a third stringer. Make him do virtual reality to get his reps. I mean you put him behind the eight ball right to start here. Even Landry Jones and guys like that."
Kaboly said the Steelers didn't handle the quarterbacks they acquired well, but it wasn't a concern. They were fortunate to have a reasonably durable player under center in Roethlisberger.
ESPN
Steelers' late Owner, Dan Rooney (right), Head Coach Mike Tomlin (middle) and former quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger (left) celebrating a Super Bowl XLIII victory.
Since Roethlisberger was already on the roster when Head Coach Mike Tomlin was hired, Kaboly said it was a road he didn't have to travel. Tomlin did not have to deal with navigating a quarterback competition, or even how to ensure they were adequately developed. So when Pickett was drafted, Tomlin was also learning.
"I think they did fail. I think they failed Kenny Pickett, not only once, but twice. Not giving him more of an opportunity early on, then throwing him, what, 16 quarters into his career, and saying you're our guy. Then you keep Matt Canada around for a potential second year. There are a lot of mistakes right there. I think it's well documented that they haven't been very good at developing or even treating quarterback competitions fairly."
According to Kaboly, Tomlin hoped to find a veteran quarterback to replace Roethlisberger. Maybe he knew this wasn't his strength and realized how important finding the right replacement would be.
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Steelers QBs Russell Wilson (3) and Justin Fields (2).
Heading into 2024, Kaboly thinks this situation can be alleviated by the fact that they have Wilson. At 35 years old, Wilson has seen and done it all in the NFL, including winning a Super Bowl.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Had An Unexpected Fan
When Roethlisberger was drafted by the Steelers in 2004, the team had been without "the guy" at quarterback since Terry Bradshaw retired in the early 1980s. Other quarterbacks ranked highly that year, such as Philip Rivers and Eli Manning, and the Steelers knew they needed to get one.
Steelers.com
Steelers' Terry Bradshaw throws a pass against the then-Oakland Raiders.
Among the staff, there had been some debating over which one to go for with their pick. Then-Defensive Coordinator, Dick LeBeau said he "stood on the table" for Roethlisberger. He was familiar with his playing style and felt he was a perfect fit for the brutal way football is played in the AFC North. They grabbed Roethlisberger, and the rest, as they say, was history.
How do you feel about how the Steelers have handled their recent quarterback situations, do you agree with Kaboly? Click to comment below.
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