When criticism comes from outside the fanbase, it is easy to ignore. When it comes from someone who openly roots for the franchise, it lands differently.
That is why Stephen A. Smith’s recent comments about Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan hit a nerve.
“I want to be very, very careful because I am rooting for Omar Khan to do a good job,” Smith said. “But can you please do your job?”
It was blunt. It was uncomfortable. And for many Steelers fans, it was hard to argue with.
Because four years into Khan’s tenure, the Steelers still do not have an answer at quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can't keep missing at quarterback
Since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season, Pittsburgh has cycled through quarterbacks in search of stability.
Mason Rudolph.
Mitchell Trubisky.
Kenny Pickett.
Justin Fields.
Russell Wilson.
Aaron Rodgers.
All have started games. None has provided the long-term solution the Steelers desperately need.
Wilson and Rodgers are future Hall of Famers, but by the time they arrived in Pittsburgh, they were not the franchise-defining players they once were. The Steelers were not building around them. They were buying time.
That approach can work for a season. It cannot define an era.
To Khan’s credit, the Steelers are not devoid of talent. The defense remains formidable. The front office has shown creativity with contracts and trades. The roster is competitive enough to win games.
But in today’s NFL, competitiveness without a quarterback ceiling leads to the same result every year. Respectable records. Limited playoff success. Lingering uncertainty. That is why Smith’s criticism resonates. The job of a general manager ultimately comes down to one question.
Did you solve quarterback?
So far, Khan has not.
Smith’s frustration tapped into something deeper than roster evaluation. It raised a question Steelers fans hate even thinking about.
Are the Steelers drifting toward the same quarterback instability that defined the Cleveland Browns for decades?
Pittsburgh has always been different. From Terry Bradshaw to Roethlisberger, the franchise historically found its quarterback and built around him for years.
Now, the Steelers feel stuck in the same cycle they once watched from across the division.
And that is unfamiliar territory.
Khan is entering his fifth season as general manager. At this stage, patience gives way to expectation. The foundation should be visible. The long-term plan should be clear. Instead, the most important position in sports remains unresolved.
Stephen A. Smith’s comments may have sounded harsh, but they were rooted in concern, not hostility. The Steelers are too stable, too proud, and too well-run an organization to drift indefinitely at quarterback.
Khan does not need to hit on every move. He does need to hit on the one that matters most. Because until the Steelers figure out the QB spot, they are not truly moving forward.
And that is why Smith’s words should not be dismissed. They should be taken as a challenge.