Suddenly, this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been dished up a big decision to weigh. As the news of former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby hit the football world, there are now several teams that need to figure out what to do with this situation.
Sorsby is opting to enter the NFL's Supplemental Draft, which will take place in July, after an ongoing off-field battle with eligibility, gambling, and legalities. The Steelers, like every other NFL franchise, have an opportunity to submit a pick to try and land him.
Former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck was on ESPN's "NFL Live" in the wake of this news, though, and in speaking to Field Yates, he offered up a warning that Pittsburgh, and every other franchise of course, should take very seriously:
"There's no doubt he has first-round qualities ... you're drafting someone to be a franchise quarterback. You got to make sure that he's the right guy to lead your franchise. There'd be some serious concerns in terms of the history off the field."
The Pittsburgh Steelers must weigh the massive risk of making Brendand Sorsby their franchise quarterback
The fact is, now, that the Steelers have quite the decision to make. Sorsby gives them a chance at landing a franchise quarterback, as he very likely would have been a high first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had he been part of the class.
But, with the off-field concerns, he comes with being a mega risk.
For those who may not know or are unfamiliar with Sorsby's situation, there was a legal investigation over the Texas Tech product's gambling problem, which impacted his NCAA eligibility.
This wasn't your typical sports betting scenario, either. Sorsby had made over 9,000 bets totaling over $90,000. There were bets made on sports and games such as Turkish basketball, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, and Romanian basketball. He clearly had an issue that went beyond your usual fun and games.
Sorsby wound up checking into rehab for his gambling addiction.
While going through rehab is admirable and necessary, we need to remember that he is still very fresh in trying to turn the page. What happens if something like this, off the field, happens again?
Sorsby is a young man not only developing his on-field skills, but also developing in life. His history of gambling isn't one to be taken lightly. The Steelers would be risking their future on someone who is one familiar mistake away from putting an NFL franchise in jeopardy.
On one hand, the Steelers are looking at taking a flier on a guy who is a dual-threat talent, having rushed for over 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground over his last two seasons. He has many traits that could translate to the league and is coming off a season that saw him pass for 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions.
On the other hand, the Steelers are looking at a player who, as potentially the face of the franchise, comes with a huge amount of risk.
Next year's quarterback class is going to be an excellent one. Pittsburgh might be better off waiting until the 2027 NFL Draft to do whatever it takes to land its guy.
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