On paper, Omar Khan has made great moves in free agency to address some of the biggest issues on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster. But not everybody is bullish on their potential to get over the hump, at least not until they fix their biggest issue.
“Another wasted year for the Steelers,” ESPN analyst Joe Fortenbaugh said Thursday on Get Up when asked about the Steelers’ new-look offense. “What are we doing here? Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2021. This is gonna be the fifth season since in which they’ve been post Roethlisberger. What are they doing at quarterback? If Rodgers is back, that’s not a long-term plan.
“We saw how he played last year. ‘Eh’ would be the best way to describe it. I’m glad you’ve got some wide receivers for him, but that’s not gonna solve your issues, especially in a division where you’re going against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.”
Likely having the third best quarterback in the AFC North isn’t a recipe for sustained success. Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow always give their teams a chance for a special season. But that hasn’t been the case in recent years, and there are major reasons to doubt both the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens in 2026.
The Ravens have lost a lot of offensive talent in free agency and their offensive line is almost unrecognizable from just two seasons ago. Jesse Minter was a talented young coordinator, but that hasn’t automatically translated to head coaching success around the league for others in recent years. And the Bengals lost some key defensive pieces on what was already one of the worst defenses in the league.
The Steelers won the division last year, and they’ve gotten better on paper while the teams around them are fighting to stay above water.
That isn’t to discount the trouble Pittsburgh has at the most important position. Rodgers was slightly better last season than any other option since Roethlisberger retired, but he showed his age and the flaws that come with it at times. He defied history to have a decent season in 2025 at age 41. Once again history does not say good things about age 42.
What Fortenbaugh isn’t putting enough stock in is the Steelers’ coaching staff overhaul and the complete shift in philosophy on offense. Mike Tomlin’s teams avoided the middle of the field at all costs. There is a very good chance the offense looks much different in 2026. Exciting hire or not, Mike McCarthy has a proven track record of success. It isn’t the same question mark the Ravens have with Minter.
Look at what the Seattle Seahawks accomplished with Sam Darnold, who is arguably the second- or third-best quarterback in the NFC West. Quarterback is still the question. It will always be until the Steelers find their next long-term answer. But if everything else around that position is as strong as it looks, it doesn’t have to be the excuse.
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