Going into 2022, it’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to change up the way they run their offense. They want to become more mobile and start utilizing some of the new facets of the game that having a mobile quarterback opens up for a team. They talked about it heading into this off-season, and definitely backed it up when they signed Mitch Trubisky on the first day of legal tampering.
The team has not had a mobile quarterback in quite some time. Ben Roethlisberger could move in his hay day, despite what recent memory would show, but he was never a mobile quarterback. Not in the sense of today’s NFL, where designed quarterback runs are an integral part to offenses. Roethlisberger was a pocket passer who could improvise and make magic happen. The last time the Steelers had a true mobile quarterback was when Kordell Stewart aka “Slash” was under center for the team.
Stewart was one of the first of the true mobile quarterbacks the league has seen. In his playing career with the Steelers, Stewart amassed 2,561 yards and 35 touchdowns. This was in 8 seasons. For reference, Roethlisberger rushed for 1,373 yards and 20 touchdowns in 18 seasons. Stewart was a true mobile quarterback with an offense catered to his skill set. Similar to what Trubisky will have if he earns the starting job.
With that said, how good was it when the Steelers had an offense centered around this kind of play? As mentioned, Stewart played 8 seasons with the Steelers. He was the primary starter for 4 of those 8. His first season as a full-time starter was in 1997. He had great success his first season, leading the team to an 11-5 record, a division title, and a trip to the AFC championship game, where they would fall short to the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. This was the first year the team had a true mobile quarterback, and it definitely came together for them. They finished 7th in offensive yards and 6th in points per game. Stewart threw for 3,020 yards and 21 touchdowns, while rushing for 476 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Photo via Sportscasting.com
The next season would unfortunately not yield the same results. The team dropped to a 7-9 record, and missed the playoffs. They finished third in their division, and their offensive rankings plummeted to 28th and 25th in points and yards per game respectively. It was a tough year for the team all around. The team had key departures in free agency, and the offensive line dealt with various injuries. The following 1999 season was a similar story, in which Stewart struggled again, and only started 11 games. The team struggled to a 6-10 finish and ranked 17th and 22nd in points and yards per game. It seemed the mobile quarterback was perhaps not the right fit.
Steelers look to Kent Graham
Stewart was not even the starter for the 2000 season. However, an injury to Kent Graham allowed him to retake his position. The team was 1-3 when he came back in as starter, and fought their way to a 9-7 finish on the season, with Stewart going 7-4 as a starter. The team seemed to find a rhythm again, and they finished the same in points per game as the prior season at 17th, but boosted their way up to 18th from 22nd in yards per game, a nice improvement and something to build on. Stewart threw for 1,860 yards and 11 touchdowns, while rushing for 436 yards and 7 touchdowns, his best since the 1997 season.
The following season was Stewart’s best as well as one of the franchise’s. The team went 13-3, won their division, and made a trip back to the AFC championship game. They unfortunately lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. Stewart led the offense to his best rankings as a starter, landing them in 7th in points per game and 3rd in yards per game. Stewart threw for a career best 3,109 yards, as well as 14 touchdowns. He rushed for another career best 537 yards, and had 5 rushing touchdowns.
Overall, it seemed when things were going well and the team was healthy, the mobile quarterback was a huge success. When not healthy and without the right pieces however, not so much. The same can be said for any team however, you need your key players to get where you need to go.
Looking now to the 2022 Steelers, it seems they definitely have some of the pieces a mobile quarterback would need. They have a great young running back, a versatile, young, and speedy receiver core, and an improved offensive line. They also have a coordinator whose offense thrives on a mobile quarterback leading the way.
It’s been a long while since this type of offense was implemented in Pittsburgh, but we’ve seen when done right, it can be dynamic. Trubisky has the skill set to get it done the way Stewart did. In his 2018 season where he led the Chicago Bears to a division title, he threw for 3,223 yards and 24 touchdowns, as well as adding 421 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns on the ground. He also never threw for under 2,000 yards as a starter.
Photo via ESPN
Trubisky is a much more skilled passer than Stewart was. One of the knocks on Stewart was his capability in the passing game, which lacked compared to his rushing prowess. He had four turnovers (three interceptions) in the 1997 AFC championship game, which was still only decided by three points, and another three in the 2001 AFC Championship game, also decided by one score. You have to think if he throws even one less in both of those games, the Steelers could potentially have more than 6 Super Bowls in their trophy case.
Not saying Trubisky will get the team there. However, as history shows, a great rushing attack from the quarterback position can be a huge boost for the offense, and if he can find a nice balance between being a prolific passer and rusher, sky is definitely the limit for Trubisky and this 2022 Steelers team.
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