Wait, Randy Fichtner is excited about which Steelers quarterback?

The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator is a big fan of Paxton Lynch

There isn’t much time left until the Pittsburgh Steelers actually have to find a replacement for Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers starting quarterback is under contract until 2022, but the team might need to find someone to take Roethlisberger’s spot under center before then.

Behind Roethlisberger on Pittsburgh’s current quarterback depth chart is a group of guys who all come into this year’s training camp with something to prove.

Mason Rudolph is the favorite to land the No. 2 job behind Roethlisberger for now. However, Rudolph winning the backup job is far from a guarantee.

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator raves about Paxton Lynch

A bit of a dark-horse in this summer’s race to become Roethlisberger’s backup is former first-round pick, Paxton Lynch. After getting drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2016, Lynch has only made four starts in his NFL career and he hasn’t attempted a pass in a meaningful game since 2017.

Despite his struggles, Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner is still looking forward to working with the 26-year-old quarterback this summer to see if he can help out the team in 2020.

When speaking to the media on Wednesday, Fichtner shared that he’s been a fan of Lynch’s since he was scouting him as a draft prospect in 2016.

"“I’m excited about Paxton Lynch, and yes, I do know Paxton. I was at his Pro Day. I watched him play a lot. I’ve known and followed his career. I’m excited about this new opportunity for him. He’s just an exciting guy for me to see where he can go.”"

Thanks to the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Lynch won’t have the luxury of showcasing his skills in a few preseason games this summer. So however many reps he gets in practice over the next few weeks, he will need to take full advantage of every opportunity he gets to prove to Pittsburgh’s coaching staff that he deserves a spot on the team.

Lynch was a first-round draft pick for a reason and even though he was pretty raw coming out of college, many thought he had the tools to develop into a solid NFL starter. His first few chances around the league didn’t turn out like he had hoped, but now he’s been given a great opportunity by the Steelers.

If Lynch is unable to make Pittsburgh’s final roster this year though, it might be time for him to look into pursuing a different career that doesn’t involve him throwing passes on a football field.