The Steelers’ quarterbacks room underwent a complete overhaul last month, with every quarterback previously on the roster finding their way out of Pittsburgh while every passer currently on the roster was not a Steeler last season. While it looks like Pittsburgh certainly found its way to the best of a bad situation, things could’ve played out much differently, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. 
The bad situation referred to above was the quarterback situation immediately following last season. Former first-round quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett were failing to live up to their draft stock, and their best hope was to ride with the hot-handed Mason Rudolph, an option they had never shown much trust in in the past and one who was bound for free agency.
The overhaul began with the release of Trubisky, who returned to Buffalo to serve as Josh Allen‘s backup. Then, things really hit the fan when Pittsburgh landed the signature of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, who would presumably slide in as the new starter, despite assurances that he would compete with Pickett for the job. Rudolph, seeing his chances at a starting job disappear, opted not to return signing with the Titans. And, after seeing the writing on the wall, Pickett asked for a trade, which the Steelers honored by sending him to Philadelphia, where he would back up Jalen Hurts. Finally, the Steelers filled out the rest of their room by trading for the former polarizing Bears quarterback Justin Fields and signing veteran backup quarterback Kyle Allen.
They flipped a room that appeared to have a pretty low floor with an unclear ceiling and turned it into a room full of proven experience and future potential without committing too many resources to acquire it. Before they landed on Wilson as their best option moving forward, though, the team looked at a few other options.
After hiring former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh felt comfortable moving forward with Pickett leading a run-heavy, play-action offense. Smith had run a successful version of that style of offense in Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. The team even explored reuniting Tannehill and Smith with the veteran quarterback hitting free agency this offseason. They also kicked the tires on new Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins before deciding that he was out of their price range.
They also nearly pulled the trigger on a second backup option before trading for Fields. The Steelers reportedly had a high chance of signing new Browns backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. A division-rival before and after his new contract, the Steelers had seen Huntley in four of his nine career starts with the Ravens and clearly liked what they saw. With Fields in the fold now, Huntley was the odd man out but ended up staying in the AFC North anyway.
Instead of rolling with Tannehill or Cousins and Huntley, the Steelers are well set up to field an offense with Wilson and Fields in 2024. They certainly did their homework on several options but ended up with what may have been the best-case scenario after a rough 2023 season that saw them shuffle through Pickett, Trubisky, and Rudolph.
I’m sure some fans believe the Steelers have solved their QB problem but I can’t forget that this was the franchise that gave up on Johnny Unitas just as he was about to embark on a HOF career.
So envious of the Steelers, you have to use the Johnny Unitas mistake to throw a little dirt on the Steelers. They’ve had plenty of good QB’S since Johnny U, but haters are gonna hate.
Referencing something from 60 years ago makes you seem as irrelevant as a person as you irrelevant observation was.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” / George Santayana
“Those who live in the past are coward and losers.” -Pittsburgh area native Mike Ditka
A quote from a guy that spent his life living off his past as a TE and Coach
And this is the same franchise of Bradshaw and Roethlisberger….so what is really your point????
“Tell us stories about Jim Finks, grandpa.”
Expect a boring, run the ball, play action, rinse and repeat offense Steelers fans.
Along with Russ coming up with a cheesy ‘we’re as strong a steel’ mantra.
As long as it’s successful, that’s just fine.
2 borderline HoF HC’s had no problem dumping Wilson in short order. To me, that’s a very telling statement.
Kind of surprised by the Wilson signing as he’s some of a loose cannon type player. A cross between Tarkenton and Farve where he runs around looking for the ‘open’ receiver hoping he can’t be TFL.
If he’s ‘on’ he’s darn good though like any QB you rattle him you might get a Wentz.
Wilson is a shell of himself, who was never at the same level as Tark or Farve. The Seahawks won because of defense and Lynch. In fact, Wilson cost them a second Super Bowl win. Enjoy the wannabe has-been, married to a has been pop star, neither of whom can handle their newfound lack of fame. The ego in that household must be outrageous.
Didn’t mean to imply he’s as good as Fran or Brett just imitates them somewhat. Fran was an exciting heart attack & Brett was blessed with unworldly luck.
I’m not sure why Tark was so great, other than being a scrambler. What did he ever win, and gee, he had a pretty good defense in Minnesota, didn’t he?
Your logic continues to be something I would normally see on the men’s room wall. It almost sounds like Wilson stole your girlfriend years ago and it’s a personal grudge. It’s prepubescent and boring.
Years ago never kept a girlfriend longer than a month, if’n your sister wasn’t so damn ugly I’d of had her too.
Tark was fun to watch which is what ‘watching football’ is all about – the fun!
It’s a damn game just like baseball and basketball – kids play it (used to do it for fun) was all about ‘teamwork’ and ‘building character’ until fools made it about $
Please. If you talk like this the only girl you ever got was your left hand. And the blow up doll that looks like your sister
Big talking trash on a message board has a pretty universal image attached: you at your keyboard, overweight, bon bons in hand in your mother’s basement, preparing for a day of work at Walmart
Run along, little boy.
Comedian your’re attempting to be.
Your characterizations are extremely askew.
Steelers made a huge improvement over last year’s QBs, Wilson was expected to be the savior of the horrible Broncos and Fields has potential on a good team
Hard to call it an improvement. It’s different, sure, but an improvement? Not likely.
Guess that’s why they’ll be proving it on the field while you lie on the sofa, stuffing your face with chicken wings and tacos. Yeah. Wilson is the “has been”.
Chicken wings and tacos on the sofa sounds pretty damn good right now
You’ve a sofa?
Pickett learned some lessons here…hopefully. After getting his feelings hurt by being the BU to Wilson, now he’s the BU to Hurts, who is much younger and healthier. Got what he asked for.
Imagine being such a horrible QB that you get replaced by a has been and a never will be.
Just how many accounts do you have here. Your writing style is familiar and you target the same individuals no matter who your new name is. Pathetic cowardice
Yeah, as stated to you in your other account postings, we get it. You were a huge Pickett fan. It was all Canada’s fault. Pickett only needs five more seasons to show he’s the real deal
Yeah, it’s all understood
And now you’re rooting against the new quarterback group
Someday, you’ll grow up
But he’s home where his ‘flock of buds’ can cheer him up
Not a fan of either of the Steelers’ new polarizing QBs, but at least Pittsburgh is no longer pretending that someone in that loser QB room of 2023 is the answer. There clearly was no future in continuing that charade.
They actually did something they’ve never done before unless you count Tommy Maddox or David Woodley. They admitted their thinking was mistaken and went outside to address the situation. If nothing else, they acknowledged a failure and gave fans some hope