Matthew Stafford restructured his contract with the Los Angeles Rams on Friday, a tough blow to several front office plans around the league.
Multiple teams expressed interest in Stafford, with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants emerging at the top of the pile. Among the other teams to call, however, were the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are currently without a QB on the roster.
On the surface, Pittsburgh is a great landing spot for a veteran quarterback hoping to win games. Mike Tomlin has never finished below .500 and the Steelers are almost always in the postseason mix. Stafford's interest in the Steelers was zilch, however, according to KOA Colorado's Benjamin Allbright.
Raiders had a lot of internal optimism early in the week. Giants tried but Stafford wasn’t interested.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 28, 2025
Pitt and Cle called, no interest from Stafford. https://t.co/KT6JLmobQ0
What does this mean for the Steelers' offseason moving forward? Well, it depends. There are a number of factors at play. That said, Stafford was easily the best quarterback with the potential to change teams this spring. Pittsburgh appears willing to run it back with Justin Fields, but even that relationship feels tenuous and far from concrete.
Pittsburgh has a fairly affordable roster for now, but the looming extension of T.J. Watt could complicate the pursuit of an expensive free agent, such as Sam Darnold. The other options in free agency, meanwhile, are all deeply flawed. We've heard names like Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins, but can Pittsburgh afford to tread water with another aging, hamstrung quarterback? Perhaps not.
Stafford's dismissal of the Steelers should lead Omar Khan and the front office in pursuit of new blood.
Steelers need to consider younger alternatives at quarterback after Matthew Stafford whiff
Rodgers and Cousins feel like especially possible "bridge" options for the Steelers.
Last season was mostly productive for Rodgers, who has the competitive spirit and history of winning that Mike Tomlin tends to prioritize. The 41-year-old also has the endorsement of George Pickens, which can matter when a front office is attempting to gauge the best path forward. Keeping Pickens happy will keep the locker room happy.
Cousins led the NFL in turnovers last season, but he has also earned the benefit of the doubt after so many productive years. He was hurt, clearly, and Atlanta was never able to fully lean into what has traditionally made Cousins special. It's fair to be skeptical of Arthur Smith in that regard, but if the Steelers put a solid O-line in front of Cousins and beef up the WR room, there's a path to success there.
It's time for the Steelers to start thinking long term, though. Stafford flatly rejected them despite a 10-win season and a strong track record of success in a tough division. It's not a weather issue, because Stafford was open to New York. It may be a market thing, but one has to think Stafford cares more about winning than endorsements at this point. It's not like the Steelers aren't a deeply popular brand in their own right.
This feels like a real indictment of the direction of Pittsburgh's franchise. It all just feels... futile? Hopeless? Those are the same things, but it's how the fanbase is feeling after years of running in place with Kenny Pickett and Russell Wilson. The Steelers are a good team, but there is a clear ceiling on their greatness. It's hard to imagine that team, without a serious overhaul top to bottom, ever breaking through on the postseason stage. Stafford (and most veteran quarterbacks) just need a better setup to go deep into the playoffs.
Pittsburgh isn't positioned for the likes of Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, but there are second-tier QB prospects — think Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart, Quinn Ewers — who could make some sense. If Pittsburgh brings back the 26-year-old Fields as a bridge QB with upside, then develops a rookie in the shadows, that feels like a real plan at least. Far more so than clutching to Aaron Rodgers' or Matthew Stafford's coattails for a couple of years and then coming up with a whole new strategy once it inevitably goes bust.
It's time to embrace the youth movement in PGH, even if it comes at the expense of a few regular-season wins in the short term.