OM DENNE EPISODE
When you think of the great quarterbacks who played for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, the list is really quite short. Actually, I can only think of two during my lifetime.
Louisiana Tech’s Terry Bradshaw led the black and gold to four Super Bowl rings during the 1970’s. More recently, it was former Miami of Ohio quarterback Ben Roethlisberger taking Pittsburgh to two additional NFL titles during his three Super Bowl appearances with the team.
In between those Hall-of-Fame talents, Pittsburgh’s quarterback duties have been handled by a variety of players unlikely to see the NFL Hall-of-Fame without paying for admission. Check out the list.
“Here we go, Steelers!”
Terry Bradshaw – 1970-1982
Cliff Stoudt – 1983
Mark Malone – 1984-1987
Bubby Brister – 1988-1990
Neil O’Donnell – 1991-1995
Mike Tomczak – 1996
Kordell Stewart – 1997-2001
Ben Roethlisberger – 2002-2021
Every quarterback on that list was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers except Mike Tomczak. The Steelers rarely reach outside of their own organization at the quarterback spot. In the past, they have depended heavily on their own college draft picks to become their primary signal callers.
“There they went, Steelers!”
That long-time quarterback trend in Pittsburgh abruptly ended over the past month.
The entire three man quarterback group for the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers has completed vanished. If you thought it was because the team was really bad, you would be wrong. Pittsburgh went 10-7 during the 2023 regular season but lost in the opening round of the NFL playoffs at Buffalo.
Can you remember any NFL playoff team shedding its entire quarterback squad following a playoff season? I can’t. If the Steelers’ quarterback trio was so bad, why have all three of them already found a spot on another team?
Let’s investigate the mysterious disappearance of last year’s Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks
- Third stringer Mitch Trubisky was originally selected in the first round out of the University of North Carolina by the Chicago Bears (remember that name) with the 2nd overall pick in the draft in 2017. After four years in the Windy City, he was traded to Buffalo in 2021. Trubisky then signed with Pittsburgh for 2022 and 2023 and played as the team’s third team QB for the past couple of years. Mitch Trubisky was released by Pittsburgh in February but quickly signed a contract to play once again in Buffalo this year.
- Second-team quarterback Mason Rudolph was drafted by the Steelers in Round 3 of the 2018 NFL draft. This highly successful college quarterback at Oklahoma State became the primary back-up to long-time Steelers’ starter Ben Roethlisberger. Unfortunately, Mason Rudolph displayed a tendency to throw interceptions at key times of the game when inserted into the line-up. In 2023, an injury to starting quarterback Kenny Pickett gave Rudolph a chance to shine. He led Pittsburgh to victory in the team’s final two regular season games to secure a playoff spot. Mason Rudolph just signed a new deal to play for the Tennessee Titans next season.
- The starting quarterback in 2023 was Kenny Pickett. Drafted near the end of the first round only two years ago in 2022, Pickett was considered to be a hometown hero. A first team All-American quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh, Pickett played his college football games on the same field and stadium used by the Steelers. He quickly became the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers in his rookie season and again in 2023. Unfortunately, Pickett’s strong self-confidence didn’t necessarily translate into top-tier NFL stats. Some blame it on Pittsburgh’s woeful former offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Others believed that KP had become a locker-room problem for the Steelers. Kenny Pickett was traded by the Steelers earlier in March to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Who will replace those three quarterbacks in Pittsburgh?
Remember Russell Wilson?
The former Seattle Seahawks quarterback was traded to the Denver Broncos just two years ago. After arriving in the Mile High City, Wilson signed a 5-year $250 million contract with Denver and was expected to jump-start the Bronco’s floundering offense.
Only two years later, Russell Wilson finds himself in Pittsburgh. Fortunately for Steelers fans, Russell Wilson will “only” cost Pittsburgh slightly more than $1 million this season as Denver will be forced to honor $85 million of financial obligations owed to their former quarterback.
The Denver Broncos’ current head coach is Sean Payton. The legendary New Orleans Saints coach knows a good quarterback when he sees one. He spent more than a dozen years building a perennial contender in the Crescent City alongside of future Hall-of-Famer Drew Brees. Sean Payton also played college quarterback at Eastern Illinois. He understands the demands of the position.
One year before Payton arrived in Denver, the desperate Broncos, riding a five year losing streak, hired relative unknown Nathaniel Hackett to become their head coach. That’s when the Broncos rolled the dice and leveraged the team’s budget to trade for Seattle’s 34-year old Russell Wilson, a former Super Bowl champion quarterback.
In the process, Denver gave up a first and second round pick in both 2022 and 2023 along with the Broncos’ former quarterback, Drew Lock. That was just the beginning, though.
The Broncos then agreed to a new 5-year contract to sign Russell Wilson for the remainder of his NFL career. With guarantees of more than $161 million, the deal paid the aging quarterback about $50 million per season over five years.
After Russell Wilson’s first year in Denver led to an embarrassing 5-12 record, Denver fired rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett. His firing came a few months after a group of buyers led by a couple of heirs to the Wal-Mart retail empire had purchased the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion.
The Walton family did not become wealthy by investing their money into losing ventures.
The new ownership team cleaned house and handed the coaching reins to 59-year old Sean Payton beginning last year in 2023.
Coach Payton’s first year in Denver showed some improvement as the Broncos finished 7-10. However, Sean Payton had seen enough of Russell Wilson – before and during the season. The coach verified that the skills of his expensive 35-year old quarterback were in decline.
He benched Wilson with a few games to go in the 2023 regular season once Denver was clearly out of the playoff picture. Coach Payton was ready to move on. He knew that a serious injury to Russell Wilson would keep any interested potential suitors away.
Enter Pittsburgh
The Steelers are led by veteran head coach Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh’s defense under Coach Tomlin has been excellent and near the top of the AFC almost every season. The offense? Not so much.
It’s easy to see why Pittsburgh could like Russell Wilson, though. Denver will be on the hook to pay all but $1 million of Wilson’s salary in 2024. The run-heavy offense of the Pittsburgh Steelers might be a good fit for an aging veteran quarterback with limited downfield passing range.
Just like in Denver, Russell Wilson’s ego surfaced prior to signing in Pittsburgh. As he interviewed with other teams, reports surfaced that Wilson insisted that the starting job would be his if he agreed to the trade. Pittsburgh acquiesced.
The Steelers then jettisoned all three of last year’s quarterbacks and made Russell Wilson the only experienced quarterback on the roster.
Step 2 – Trade virtually nothing to acquire Justin Fields
The Chicago Bears bet the farm three years ago on former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. daBears picked Fields with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He has produced just 10 wins against 28 losses in a starting role during his three seasons in Chicago.
Yes, Fields brings a running dimension to go along with his passing skills. He scored 14 touchdowns in three years on the ground (to go with 38 fumbles). Via the air, Justin Fields has tossed 40 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions over three seasons.
The inability for Justin Fields to eliminate mistakes at crucial times of NFL games has minimized his effectiveness on the field. Winners shouldn’t be making that many mistakes by the end of their third season in the NFL.
In April, the Chicago Bears are expected to make yet another top college quarterback prospect their #1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Caleb Williams of USC, Drake Mayes of North Carolina, or, perhaps, LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels may be selected by the Bears.
After shopping Justin Fields for a few months after the 2023 season ended, the Bears apparently decided to cut bait with their quarterback for (effectively) peanuts. The Pittsburgh Steelers surprised many by acquiring Justin Fields – a former first round pick – for a lowly 6th round draft choice in 2025.
Justin Fields is entering the final year of his NFL rookie contract. The Pittsburgh Steelers will pay him less than $2 million for this season. However, the team must decide soon whether they intend to keep Justin Fields as the price tag for his services will increase tenfold for the 2025 season.
Uh-oh!
The Steelers are getting two quarterbacks at a bargain in 2024 but at what cost?
Many NFL observers believe that Pittsburgh “Stealers” have upgraded at quarterback and saved a lot of money in the process in 2024. That remains to be seen.
My Dad used to say, “If that player was so good, why did his former team let him go?”
That’s a great question!
Russell Wilson’s locker room ego issues have been well documented. He is a highly paid prima donna who has now been booted from two NFL teams in just three years.
Justin Fields played in Chicago with a horrible front office and under a number of coaches. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is a steady hand and may be exactly the kind of leader who will develop the confidence of Justin Fields.
However, it is widely expected that Russell Wilson (by his agreement to come to Pittsburgh) will be the Day 1 starter in Steel City with Justin Fields moving into the back-up role. The younger quarterback has been a long-time fan of Russell Wilson.
“I’ve always looked up to him,” said Fields about Wilson a few years ago. “The kind of person he is on the field and off the field. He’s a great quarterback and a great person.”
Will Russell Wilson’s ego surface if Justin Fields replaces him in the line-up in 2024?
For Pittsburgh Steelers fans, this massive quarterback earthquake feels like a huge gamble
A 10-7 playoff team has dumped all three of its quarterbacks from last year in favor of a 35-year old player in obvious decline and a talented but turnover-prone young quarterback.
These five quarterback decisions in Pittsburgh (three of them booted out and two veteran QB’s acquired on-the-cheap) may translate into a boom or bust outcome for the Steelers in 2024.
Perhaps the Pittsburgh Steelers will prove my Dad’s sage advice to be wrong this year. Call me skeptical.
The post The “Here We Go/There They Went!” Steelers QBs appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.
