As we inch closer to the NFL Draft, the smoke around the Pittsburgh Steelers potentially taking a quarterback in the first round keeps getting thicker. They have been desperate to find their next franchise QB since Ben Roethlisberger retired, but this isn’t the draft class to fall in love with a quarterback.
This franchise is terrified of conceding a year to properly find the right guy, but one man stands in the way. And for once, it’s time for him to step aside — for the sake of the future at the quarterback position.
With Shedeur Sanders recently visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team has quickly become the most commonly linked destination if Sanders were to fall in this year’s draft. A recent report from Todd McShay noted that Mike Tomlin is a big fan of Sanders, and if quarterback is indeed the direction Pittsburgh takes in the first round, it’s starting to feel like Sanders might be the guy they’re targeting.
It's time for the Pittsburgh Steelers front office to take QB decisions out of Mike Tomlin’s hands
Let’s be honest—this franchise treats Mike Tomlin like a god, and it’s time we start questioning that, especially when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. Tomlin's track record with quarterbacks since Ben Roethlisberger retired has been nothing short of disastrous.
The Steelers' head coach signed off on drafting Kenny Pickett, which didn’t work out. He pounded the table for Russell Wilson to sign here, which led to Pickett getting shipped off to the Eagles. With Pickett gone, the team traded for Justin Fields—a move driven by Tomlin’s well-documented admiration for Fields dating back to the 2021 draft.
Every quarterback decision post-Roethlisberger has had Tomlin’s fingerprints all over it, and the results have been complete failures. The offense has been stuck in the mud for years, built on outdated philosophies in a modern NFL that left that style in the dust long ago. Tomlin inherited a franchise QB when he arrived in Pittsburgh, and since then, he’s shown time and time again he can’t identify the next one.
It’s undeniable that Tomlin holds significant say in everything the Steelers do, especially during the draft. But if this team wants to finally get it right at quarterback, the front office needs to take control without Tomlin micromanaging every move. Yes, he’s the head coach and should have a voice in the conversation, but it’s clear a new power dynamic is overdue.
Whatever they’ve been doing just hasn’t been good enough. Continuing to cater to a head coach who’s long past his expiration date isn’t the answer. This is not the draft to reach for a quarterback just because you’re desperate. We've already seen how that story ends, and it's why this franchise is still stuck in the same slump.
If the Steelers are serious about building a real future at quarterback, it’s time to do things differently. Let the front office lead. Let Tomlin coach. And finally, stop letting his personal preferences dictate the most important decision the franchise has to make.