Ex-Steelers QB Joshua Dobbs Highlighted Massive Lack Of Direction And Development In Pittsburgh System

The Pittsburgh Steelers were fortunate to have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for 18 seasons. The Steelers attempted a couple of times to draft a reliable backup who could eventually develop into the heir apparent whenever Roethlisberger decided to retire. In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected Josh Dobbs in the fourth round. He never quite got much of a chance and was eventually traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 9, 2019. 

Dobbs struggled to find his footing behind a franchise legend, where opportunities for meaningful reps were scarce. The team’s focus on winning in the present left little room to develop a young quarterback, and Dobbs said that made it difficult to showcase his abilities or prepare for a long-term role.

Dobbs actually found himself back in the Steel City about a year later after the trade. However, that second stint didn't last very long. In an interview with Tyler Dunne of Go Long, Dobbs opened up about his time in Pittsburgh and explained exactly what went wrong.

"So l've seen it both ways," Dobbs said. "I've shown up to work and I had no clue what I was being asked to do. And I've been in a place where you've had to come in as a quarterback and it's like, 'Here's a game plan, here's a script.' You're figuring out your reads and your footwork and it's trial by error. There's no framework of what you're trying to get done as an offense. I've been there. I've done it. That's not enjoyable."

Dobbs has played in several places during his career. He is currently the backup to Drake Maye with the New England Patriots. 

With that experience, he has seen a lot, and he certainly saw plenty during his two stints with the Steelers.

"Going to Pittsburgh was harder to learn," Dobbs said. "Because I'm like, 'Why are we doing this? What's the reasoning behind it?'"

Dobbs couldn’t quite figure out exactly what his role was while playing for Mike Tomlin’s Steelers. Dunne explained in his article more about what he learned while speaking with Dobbs about his struggles in Pittsburgh.

"As in Pittsburgh, when Dobbs backed up Ben Roethlisberger, he felt left astray," Dunne detailed. "Lines got blurred. He had no clue what the timing, rhythm, and spacing of plays were supposed to be. By then, Roethlisberger had already been through the ringer and was doing his own thing. Dobbs could learn from watching but also remembers asking himself all the time, 'Is that right? Is that wrong?'"

The Steelers allegedly viewed Dobbs as a developmental prospect when they selected him in the fourth round. It’s certainly strange to see that they didn’t really have much of a plan to develop him. Though Dobbs didn’t quite pan out as a reliable quarterback in the league, he has been in the NFL as a backup for several seasons now.

Steelers Haven't Had Much Luck Developing QB's Lately

Many Steelers fans have doubts about Tomlin-led coaching staffs' abilities to develop a quarterback. They tried with Mason Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He never turned into anything more than a backup, and everyone knows how the Kenny Pickett experiment played out. The Steelers haven’t had much luck developing quarterbacks in recent years.

It’s interesting to hear this perspective from one of the quarterbacks who didn’t quite pan out as hoped, even though not everyone had super high expectations for Dobbs when he was drafted. The Steelers brass will have another chance with Will Howard and whoever they draft in the 2026 NFL draft.

What do you make of Josh Dobbs' comments about his time with the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.

#SteelerNation