"Do Your Job!": Steelers' Omar Khan Blasted For Massive Roster Blunder

The Pittsburgh Steelers head into the 2026 NFL Combine with renewed hope and optimism. Coming off an AFC North title, the team has set a bar for the rest of the division to follow. However, the Steelers are looking for more than just another division championship, and have major questions coming into this season. Last year's quarterback, future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, may not come back this season. If Rodgers does indeed retire or play elsewhere, the Steelers will be left with questionable options at the quarterback position.

The Steelers have been searching for stability at QB since two-time Super Bowl-winning signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger retired after 18 seasons. While a drop off at the quarterback position without Roethlisberger was expected, the Steelers have struggled there outside of Rodgers last season. However, Rodgers isn't a long-term option at 42 years old, and when the Steelers have to play quarterbacks such as Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson twice a season, they're often at a significant disadvantage at the most important position in football.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith shared his thoughts on the Steelers' quarterback situation and General Manager Omar Khan on First Take.

"Omar Khan, could you do your job? Do your job, how long is it going to take for you to find a quarterback? At some point in time, you ain't playing, what are you doing? [What are you] doing? Somebody got to say it, go find something other than a 42-year-old," Smith ranted. "You gonna go the geriatric route and literally sit here dependent on this man to come back?"

While harsh, Smith's criticism does have some validity. If Rodgers does indeed decide not come back next season, the Steelers are left to a draft class that's weak at the quarterback position after the presumptive first overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, and a free agency class that doesn't offer much either outside of possibly Malik Willis. 

Pittsburgh may be sitting on a gem however, in last year's sixth-round pick and former National Champion with The Ohio State Buckeyes, Will Howard. Many within the Steelers organization have spoken highly of Howard and his potential to be the answer at the quarterback position for the Steelers, but until he gets some real playing time, the jury is still out.

If Rodgers does return for next season, it will almost certainly be his last in the NFL. When the Steelers and former head coach Mike Tomlin parted ways, it was widely expected that Rodgers would not return either, due to his close relationship with Tomlin. While new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy's hiring was unrelated to the possibility of bringing back Rodgers, it is noteworthy that McCarthy is perhaps the only coach Rodgers would've come back to play for. After all, the two won a Super Bowl together with the Green Bay Packers and McCarthy knows Rodgers' game perhaps better than any other quarterback in the NFL.

Steelers' Will Howard May Be The Answer Pittsburgh Is Looking For

The Steelers brought in McCarthy to win now, and having a quarterback who has never started an NFL game under center for a team looking to win now is always questionable. However, Howard got to sit behind Rodgers for his entire rookie season and learn from one of the best quarterbacks of all-time. If Howard is a legitimate answer at the position, Khan may have found the successor to Roethlisberger that the Steelers have been looking for. The question is, do you trust Howard with the keys to the 2026 Steelers?

Whether it's Rodgers, Howard, or someone else under center come Week 1, this team will have to show that they're not last year's Steelers.

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