The Pittsburgh Steelers need to figure out the quarterback position at some point, because as of right now, the only two quarterbacks under contract for the 2025 season are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. Rudolph has some starting experience, but it would be a disappointment for many fans in the Steel City if he is the starter for a full 17-game season. The Steelers seem primed to land Aaron Rodgers, but nothing is guaranteed in that regard. The organization has also done its due diligence on the crop of quarterbacks entering the 2025 NFL Draft, and Pittsburgh is one of the teams that could take a passer on night one.
Seth Wenig / AP Photo
Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on with a serious face before a regular season home game during the 2024 NFL season.
Pittsburgh is the only legitimate landing spot for Rodgers if he wants to continue his playing career, but he is also reportedly pondering retirement. Who knows what is going to happen with him, and Pittsburgh has to have some form of a backup plan ready in case the quarterback decides to call it a career. NFL insider Dianna Russini recently wrote about other options for Pittsburgh in an article for The Athletic, focusing on the draft.
"Today, The Athletic’s draft expert, Nick Baumgardner, shared his most recent mock, where the Steelers used their first-round pick (No. 21) on Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders," Russini wrote. "If Sanders doesn’t fall, the Steelers could reach for prospects like Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough or Jalen Milroe."
There has been growing rumors about the possibility of Shedeur Sanders falling on draft night, and there is a chance he can fall all the way to 21. Another possibility is the Steelers looking to trade up once Sanders starts to slide down the board. If Sanders goes early, Pittsburgh may be forced to reach for a player like Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, or Jalen Milroe.
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Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe looks on during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
Pittsburgh is without a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which makes the franchise more prone to reach for a player it really wants. There has been noted interest in Dart, Shough, and Milroe from Pittsburgh. All three players seem like they can be options, although it would definitely be considered a reach to select either Shough or Milroe on the first night of the event.
It seems like a near-guarantee that Rodgers is going to sign in Pittsburgh at some point, however it is important to note that the Steelers have not been an attractive destination for quarterbacks during the 2025 offseason. Russini brought this up in her article, and it feels like it makes drafting a quarterback in the first-round more of a possibility.
"A quarterback room of Mason Rudolph and former Dolphins backup Skylar Thompson is closer to a cry for help than a realistic scenario in 2025," Russini wrote. "And while Rodgers feels likely, already this offseason, Pittsburgh missed on Matthew Stafford, and saw both Justin Fields (Jets) and Russell Wilson (Giants) skip town."
Both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson decided to leave Pittsburgh, although the team didn't really want to see Wilson back in the black and gold. Matthew Stafford decided to sign a new deal with the Los Angeles Rams rather than exploring an opportunity with the Steelers, and Sam Darnold chose to sign with the Seattle Seahawks over Pittsburgh. It has been a rough go of it, and recent events should make fans skeptic about Rodgers signing.
Will McLelland / Imagn Images
University of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on the run during a collegiate football game.
Steelers Have Been Reported To Have Serious Interest In Jalen Milroe
Pittsburgh has conducted pre-draft visits with both Sough and Dart, but the organization has been said to have serious interest in Milroe. Milroe is one of the best athletes in the draft, but he has some work to do when it comes to being an efficient quarterback at the NFL level. He has struggled with accuracy and going through his progressions, which has caused his stock to float around a Day 2 pick at best.
.@Andy_Staples on Jalen Milroe reportedly accepting an NFL Draft invitation⬇️
— On3 (@On3sports) April 7, 2025
"The NFL does not want a Will Levis situation to happen ever again... He feels confident he's getting picked in the first round,
and the NFL is very confident one of its teams will pick him" 👀 pic.twitter.com/47iPcMd5CJ
Milroe was invited to the NFL Draft by the league, and the quarterback accepted the invite. This is a strong indicator that he will be picked in the first-round, as the league only looks to invite the top prospects to the event. Pittsburgh could be the team that looks to draft Milroe, which would probably draw some outrage from the fan base.
What do you think about Pittsburgh potentially picking Milroe in the first-round? Let us know in the comments below!
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