Steelers Have A Strong Path To Fix Horrific Quarterback Situation By Making Certain Hire At Head Coach

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a very questionable future as the franchise has no real answer at quarterback and Mike Tomlin has just stepped down as the team's head coach. Ideally, the team will be able to find the right guys during the 2026 offseason. The NFL Draft class is fairly weak at quarterback however, which means the Steelers may have to get a little bit creative when it comes to acquiring a reliable player at the position.

Pittsburgh has hit the ground running with its head coach search. The team has thrown out several interview requests, and the organization will conduct its first meetings on Friday. There is a good mixture of defensive and offensive-minded candidates, even though the franchise has historically gone with a younger, defensive-minded head coach. Pittsburgh has been moving different in recent memory, which could lead to the organization hiring someone like Klay Kubiak, who is the current offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. 

Team insider Christopher Carter spoke about the possibility of Pittsburgh hiring Kubiak while also bringing in Mac Jones at quarterback during his mailbag for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"I've never been the biggest Mac Jones guy, but he did look decent in the 49ers' offense this year," Carter wrote. "So bringing him along with Klay Kubiak could make sense! You'd get your vet quarterback who's not over the hill, you'd bring the system they've been solid in, and that could buy you time until you find your franchise QB."

Jones has not had the best career up to this point after being a first-round pick by the New England Patriots back in the 2021 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl during his rookie season, but his play has dropped off after that. He spent some time with the Jacksonville Jaguars before signing with the 49ers during the 2025 offseason. He played well while Brock Purdy was going through a toe injury, and Kubiak has spoken out about how impressed he has been with Jones.

Pittsburgh doesn't have a ton of options at quarterback moving forward. After Tomlin stepped down, it seems extremely unlikely that Aaron Rodgers would entertain returning to Pittsburgh. The only quarterbacks the franchise has under contract for the 2026 season are Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, and the franchise is not in a good place to draft a quarterback in the spring come the first round. This means it would be seemingly best for the Steelers to consider existing quarterback options, and Jones fits that mold (especially if the organization hires Kubiak).

Kubiak has been with the 49ers since the 2021 season. He has worked as a quarterbacks coach, passing game specialist, and offensive coordinator. He didn't call the plays as the offensive coordinator as Kyle Shanahan handles those duties, but he has had plenty of time to learn under one of the best offensive minds in the league. Many fans want to see a hire like Kubiak, who is a branch off of a tree that has thrust plenty of offensive specialists into head coaching positions.

Steelers May Have Trouble Landing Mac Jones

Purdy was dealing with a pretty serious turf toe injury earlier in the season, and Jones filled in nicely as mentioned. He played in 11 games and started eight of them. He had a record of 5-3 as a starter while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. He threw for over 2,000 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He will be a hot commodity for quarterback-needy teams, and San Francisco has him under contract for the 2026 season. The quarterback's services would need to be acquired via trade, which could be costly if he has a strong market.

What do you think about this duo coming to Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!

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