The Pittsburgh Steelers have found themselves in NFL purgatory over the last several seasons, especially ever since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger following the 2021 campaign. The organization has had zero consistency at the quarterback position, and every offseason in the post-Roethlisberger era has been full of questions surrounding the position. It is hard to win in the NFL without a franchise quarterback, yet Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been able to continue his streak of non-losing seasons without Roethlisberger. The Steelers have made the playoffs in two of the last three season, but got embarrassed in both postseason games.
AP Photo / Stephanie Scarbrough
Steelers' Mike Tomlin looks on during a tough game against the Ravens at the end of the 2024 season.
There is still plenty of uncertainty at quarterback with free agency right around the corner. The organization has stated it wants to bring back either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields to be the starter, but there is a chance both quarterbacks are playing elsewhere in 2025. This would mean the Steelers would be starting a different quarterback in Week 1 for the fourth season in a row, and it would be the sixth starting quarterback in Pittsburgh over the last three years.
Former Steelers reporter Ed Bouchette joined 93.7 The Fan on Friday, and he discussed the current state of the team. He had covered the team since 1985, so he has seen a lot of versions of the Steelers. He shared some fairly concerning comments about where the franchise is now.
"You could have seven starting quarterbacks in three seasons." Bouchette said. "They sound like the Cleveland Browns through the years. Very dysfunctional, very dysfunctional. Until they get a quarterback, a good one, they're not gonna win again, it looks like they can't even decide what they want to do at the position."
Over the last three seasons, the Steelers have started Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Fields, and Wilson. If an external starter is signed in free agency, he would be the sixth starter in that timeframe, or seventh if you go all the way back to 2021 when Roethlisberger was still playing the position. Either way, the position has been a disaster, and there doesn't seem to be much optimism moving forward.
Matt Freed / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger waves to fans as he walks off the Kansas City Chiefs home turf.
Getting compared to the Cleveland Browns is near-rock bottom for the Steelers. The Browns have been the doormat of the AFC North over the last few decades, and overall Cleveland has arguably been the worst franchise in the NFL. Pittsburgh has not put up bad results like Cleveland, but the dysfunction seems to be there.
The Browns are infamous for their long list of starting quarterbacks since the organization came back in 1999. Through the end of the 2024 season the Browns have had 40 different players start at quarterback for the franchise, which is atrocious. The Steelers are nowhere near this embarrassing mark, but it could be a sign of what is to come if the organization cannot figure out what it wants to do moving forward.
It seems like a no-brainer to bring back Fields as the starter in 2025, and slightly overpaying him so that he refuses to test free agency seems like it would be worth it. The franchise had since the season ended to make that move, and it failed to do so. Now, Fields is perfectly happy to test his market, which will only drive up the price.
Benjamin B. Braun / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith celebrate a win post game during the 2024 season.
Steelers Need To Strip Some Power Away From Mike Tomlin
Every decision that is made for the Steelers is conducted mostly by Tomlin. He has been the head coach for 18 seasons, therefore it is understandable that he would have some pull. However, the coach has been steering the team in the wrong direction for a couple of years now. It is time for a different approach. Many were calling for Tomlin's job after the collapse that ended the 2024 season, but the organization is too cheap to fire a coach that is still under contract. If Pittsburgh wants to take some meaningful steps forward, someone else needs to be making the important decisions within that building.
What do you think of Bouchette's comments? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
