The Steelers may or may not know who their quarterback will be, but Michael Pittman Jr. is trained for anything. After all, he is coming to Pittsburgh from the Colts, and if you know their history, this is nothing. The Steelers have had a revolving door at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. Indianapolis’ carnival has lasted even longer.
The Colts spent the 2019 season reeling after Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement. In 2020, Michael Pittman’s rookie season, they managed to acquire Philip Rivers. He played one season before retiring. The following season, they signed Carson Wentz, then Matt Ryan. In 2023, they drafted Anthony Richardson, but Gardner Minshew started. 2024 was Richardson’s year, split with Joe Flacco. And last year, of course, they finally landed on Daniel Jones—ending, somehow, with Rivers. So the Steelers’ quarterback uncertainty is like a warm blanket to Pittman.
“I’m no stranger to that”, he said during his introductory press conference about the Steelers’ quarterback uncertainty, via the team’s website. “I’ve had a different quarterback every single year I’ve been in the NFL. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some really talented ones. I think that we have two really great ones on our roster now, and then obviously Aaron [Rodgers] is out there now thinking about it. With the possibility of also bringing somebody else in. I don’t really know what’s going to happen, but whoever it is, I’m gonna do everything I can to make their job easier”.
Surely that’s one of the reasons the Steelers liked Michael Pittman, for whom they traded this offseason. No matter who their quarterback ends up being, he will be a reliable presence. Not just a consistent target in the passing game, but a leader in the locker room and a no-nonsense guy.
The Steelers want to bring Aaron Rodgers back for a second trip, which would be his 22nd season in the NFL. If he opts to retire, they have Mason Rudolph and second-year Will Howard as internal options. While Michael Pittman spoke highly of all options, there is a clear difference if Rodgers return. But he knows, thanks to his ample experience, he can make it work regardless of who’s throwing the passes.
Pittman is a second-generation NFL player, so he came into the league with an advantage. And you know how much the Steelers value NFL bloodlines, so Pittman is a natural fit there. But considering his resume of working with different quarterbacks, it helps when you don’t know how the quarterback situation will unfold.
Since entering the NFL, Pittman has caught passes from 12 different quarterbacks. He has caught over 100 passes from Minshew, Wentz, and Ryan. Working with Daniel Jones last season, he caught 61 passes on 84 targets before the quarterback suffered a season-ending injury. Things were going well there, including a career-high 7 touchdown passes.
Pittman didn’t want to give away too many details, but he seems to think the Steelers have big plans for him. He also claims to have no inside information about the quarterback situation, despite knowing Rodgers personally. But however it shakes out, the Steelers will have at least one reliable option. He has the resume to back it up.
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