With the Pittsburgh Steelers in the thick of OTAs and now having quarterback Aaron Rodgers back in the fold, the team can finally move forward with a concrete plan for the coming season.
Other AFC North rivals, however, might not be as confident in their plan of attack; at least, not at the quarterback position. After the Cleveland Browns' latest practice, head coach Todd Monken hit us with one of the better quotes of the week:
“Yeah, we threw interceptions in 7-on-7 for God’s sake. I mean, who does that? There’s no pass rush. I mean, it’s embarrassing.”
This would be the absolute perfect time for someone to react with a headline starting with the words: It's only OTAs but ... the Browns are still a mess.
The Steelers know who their quarterback is for the coming season, but do the Browns? Maybe.
Browns quarterbacks likely won't be posing any threats to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026
First of all, Monken is a joy to listen to. Steelers fans have to be thankful he is in the AFC North, so they have a better chance of tuning in to his pressers than other fans might. He is a must-watch when at the podium, especially when he's giving us gems like the above.
From the looks of it, the interceptions thrown in the Browns' practice were off throws from Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
What about Deshaun Watson, though?
For Steelers fans who might not be paying close attention to their rival this early in the year, Monken has been very vocally supportive of the veteran. He seems to have a strong belief in Watson, almost as if this is a point Monken is out to prove.
It feels a lot like Monken wants to show everybody he can help resurrect a guy we all thought was, well ... done.
Based on the last time we saw him play in 2024, there should be absolutely zero reason to see Watson as a threat. The 2020 season, where Watson led the league in passing yards, feels like a decade ago. That 2024 sample size made Watson look like the worst quarterback in football, no question.
So, if it's Watson for 2026, this Pittsburgh defense shouldn't have a whole lot to worry about. He has started only 19 games in four seasons for the Browns, including missing the entire 2025 season due to injury.
Let's just get this out of the way: there is no shot Gabriel gets the job. If he does, that's two wins the Steelers could have while playing blindfolded.
If it's Sanders, the Steelers might have a little more of a challenge. Last season, Sanders and the Browns beat Pittsburgh 13-6 in a game that saw the rookie quarterback toss a pair of interceptions. Despite the win, Sanders ended the game with a rating of just 75.6. But, he might have the one thing Watson doesn't have much of anymore, and that's confidence.
It counts for something, but the Steelers still won't have a problem obtaining revenge from last year's loss.
Add us as a preferred source on Google