While free agency hasn’t been open for very long, the Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t have a quarterback. It sounds like they’re waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers. There’s no telling when that will come, though. Besides him, the Steelers’ options are not great. There are very few quality starting quarterbacks left on the market. Analyst Derrik Klassen of The Athletic believes Steelers fans should be concerned.
“Yes,” Klassen said on The Athletic Football Show when asked if Steelers fans should be panicking. “It’s not for not having spent money. You just don’t know who the quarterback is going to be and none of the options are good. So yes, I would be freaking out.”
The Steelers did sign a quarterback, bringing Mason Rudolph back. However, they probably don’t envision him as their starter. It’s more likely that Rudolph will be the Steelers’ backup. That still leaves them with a massive hole under center.
Enter Rodgers. He’s reportedly choosing between the Steelers and the New York Giants. It’s not like he’s the same player he once was, though. At 41 years old, Rodgers has felt the effects of Father Time. His arm is still great, but he’s not the same athlete he once was. There’s no telling what he’ll look like in 2025.
However, after him, the Steelers’ options start to get slim. Russell Wilson is still available, but it doesn’t seem like the Steelers want to bring him back. That leaves them left with players like Jameis Winston, Gardner Minshew II, and Joe Flacco. None of those options sound appealing.
Klassen is correct that many Steelers fans are concerned with the team’s plan at quarterback. The team hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, and that probably isn’t going to change if they’re stuck with any of those lesser options under center. The 2025 season could look ugly for the Steelers.
Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have managed to stay afloat with bad quarterback play before, though. When Ben Roethlisberger got injured in 2019, the Steelers still won eight games with Rudolph and Devlin Hodges starting at quarterback.
Perhaps they’ll be able to make magic again this year without great quarterback play, although that doesn’t sound pretty. Hopefully, Rodgers makes a decision soon, if only to help give the Steelers a little clearer of a direction.
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