Steelers' Questionable Interest In Trevor Lawrence Could Be A Quiet Indicator That Mike Tomlin Has Fallen Out Of Love With Justin Fields

The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be linked to every quarterback who is even remotely available for the 2025 season. The Super Bowl wasn't even a week ago, and they've been reported to be interested in everyone from Jaxson Dart to Aaron Rodgers. Every day, it seems like there is a new name that comes up, and the most recent one was Trevor Lawrence from the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Lawrence was the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. After a successful three seasons with the Clemson Tigers, Lawrence was widely considered the best quarterback in his draft class, one that also included Justin Fields, Mac Jones, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance. Mel Kiper Jr. ranked him the fourth highest-graded quarterback he'd ever evaluated. Much like fans are salivating over potentially drafting Arch Manning in 2026 or 2027; teams were hoping their struggling team would fall low enough to get Lawrence.   

The Steelers picked 24th overall in 2021, so they had zero chance of obtaining one of those top quarterbacks, so they selected running back Najee Harris. However, reports circulated wildly that Head Coach Mike Tomlin was enamored with Fields and would have chosen him if the Steelers had a low enough pick. When the Steelers made a trade for Fields before the 2024 season, much was made of the fact that Tomlin had coveted Fields for years.   

Bob Pompeani from KDKA joined The PM Team w/Poni and Mueller on 93.7 The Fan and told them he believes Lawrence still has a lot of upside, even though the Jaguars haven't succeeded much under his tenure. Show co-host Chris Mueller said he worries that the Steelers are even making a call inquiring about Lawrence, which indicates how far out of favor Fields has possibly fallen. Everyone knows that Tomlin carries a lot of weight regarding player personnel decisions, and this shows that he doesn't believe Fields can be the quarterback they need if the Lawrence call rumors are actually true.

"I can tell you also that in doing Mike's show, he has a lot of respect, I think, and admiration for the potential that Trevor Lawrence has," said Pompeani. "So I understand what you're saying, and you're accurate in that, but I also know that he would certainly look at a guy like that and say, that's a good NFL potential franchise quarterback."

Fields got a chance to start six games in black and gold and ended with a record of 4-2. Despite his respect for Fields, Tomlin still started Russell Wilson over him when he had the opportunity. Pompeani said that he finds it encouraging that the Steelers even called the Jaguars, if they really did because it shows they are taking this seriously and leaving no stone unturned. 

Sources from the Jaguars said they would not consider trading Lawrence and called the notion "ridiculous." While this might have just been a casual phone call to gauge possible interest, it should reassure fans that the Steelers front office is aggressively pursuing every option if true.

Steelers Also In The Wide Receiver Hunt

The Steelers don't just need a quarterback; they need a wide receiver. They failed to secure a strong wide receiver two (WR2) for 2024, which haunted them all season. Their opponents quickly figured out that all they had to do was shut down George Pickens, and the offense would struggle to find an answer. 

Throughout the 2024 offseason, they were linked to practically every potentially available receiver in the league at some point. That has already started again, with rumors flying that they might be aiming for Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel, or trying again for Davante Adams. They have even been reported to be interested in Tee Higgins, who will likely command a huge payday. 

Do you think Tomlin still trusts Fields? Tell us what you think below! 

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