The Pittsburgh Steelers are in offseason mode, as they should be, at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. The Steelers met with many players – including over a dozen receivers, which should come as no surprise to anyone who watched this team on a regular basis last season – along with possible draftees at nearly every position. The job of scouts at the Combine isn't just to meet with players the team is interested in, but also gather information. Few organizations do this better than Pittsburgh.
But with the vast majority of league executives in one room, the Combine is also the first time real, connected NFL Rumors start to swirl about the offseason ahead. The media in attendance must keep their heads on a swivel, as there's a lot of information being exchanged at once, including some truly bad ideas that could derail a promising offseason for the Steelers.
Jeremiyah Love has ties to the Steelers: Will he fall to them?
Love is the best running back in this draft class, and is ranked in the top-10 on some boards. However, the Steelers have a surplus at that position. Jaylen Warren is one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL, and I'd much rather Pittsburgh just re-sign Kenneth Gainwell than use their first-round selection on Love.
To be clear, Love was merely entertaining the idea of being a Steeler. He mentioned that his father is a Steelers fan, and that he great up hating the Dallas Cowboys. That's bad news for Dallas, which despite re-signing Javonte Williams could still use a running back with the sheer power and speed combination as Love.
Pittsburgh, though, would be better-suited using their first rounder on a wide receiver, offensive guard or secondary depth.
Steelers meet with local product Drew Allar and Alabama's Ty Simpson
The Steelers need to find their quarterback of the future, but this is the wrong draft class to do that in. Allar went to Penn State and by all accounts has all the raw tools to earn Josh Allen comparisons. However, to actually become the next Allen, he'll need far more work. Allar has a rocket arm with little-to-no pocket presence, accuracy or awareness. He's dreadful with timing routes and reading a defense. Mike McCarthy claims to be a quarterback whisperer. Allar would be a fun project, but little else.
As for Simpson, the Alabama product could be a safe choice, but not at 21. The Steelers are stuck between a rock and a hard place, as Simpson could remind some Pittsburgh fans of Kenny Pickett, a player most pundits believed was plug-and-play with a low ceiling. Simpson's second half of the the season in Tuscaloosa was also dreadful, which he blames on injuries.
There's nothing wrong with taking a quarterback in this year's class. The Steelers have a lot of picks to play with. But someone like Simpson (or even Allar) will take too much work, and ultimately cost Pittsburgh talent at other positions.
Art Rooney Jr. is why Mike Tomlin left the Steelers
The Steelers were humiliated by the latest NFLPA report card, which was released despite a lawsuit from NFL owners trying to keep it hidden. I certainly understand the benefit of the report card from a free agent perspective, but it's always confused me some why fans care so much about, say, team travel and the locker room. The report card doesn't always correlate to team success. See the No. 1-ranked team on the list as a classic example in the Miami Dolphins.
That being said, I get the overall frustration. The Steelers are among the biggest brands in the NFL. The Rooneys have been raking in money hand over fist for decades. Why can't they afford to pony up and make players a little more comfortable, and thus make Pittsburgh a slightly more attractive free-agent destination?
Since that report card was released, NFL pundits have theorized that Rooney Jr.'s lack of investment could have played a role in Mike Tomlin's decision to leave. That theory isn't based in reality, but there's a reason the Steelers head coach grade was an A, while the rest of the organization was on the struggle bus. Tomlin was beloved. Replacing him, along with upgrading the team facility, could be tougher than most fans realize.
The latest on Tyreek Hill to Pittsburgh
The Steelers should not, under any circumstances, sign Tyreek Hill. Pittsburgh has enough bad karma as is, but that hasn't stopped some prognosticators from connecting the two sides. Hill is a former All-Pro after all, and should come at an affordable asking price.
The far more likely outcome is that Hill returns to the Kansas City Chiefs and, when healthy, finds his Pro Bowl form once again. I'm not sure what's in the water in KC's facility, but teams like the Steelers need more of it. Thankfully for Pittsburgh, Omar Khan is reportedly NOT interested in Hill as of this writing.
The Steelers also met with over a dozen wide receivers at the NFL Combine, suggesting to some that they could draft at least two wideouts this April, including one in the first round. That doesn't leave much room for Hill, even if Aaron Rodgers wants him around.
Price tag for an Aaron Rodgers replacement
I'm on the record saying Malik Willis would be the most ideal Rodgers replacement this offseason. I've also said the Steelers shouldn't bring back Aaron Rodgers, even if he's interested. My opinion doesn't mean much in the Steelers building, however.
All signs point to Rodgers return. He played well enough last season – and the Steelers have a low standard for QB play after years of Kenny Pickett – and could be up for a reunion with his former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. It also doesn't help that Willis, arguably one of the more realistic fits with the Steelers should Rodgers retire or head elsewhere, could receive a contract north of $30 million AAV.
Willis only has a handful of starts under his belt. In those starts, he has looked fantastic, but signing him to a deal worth, say, three years and near $100 million isn't a choice Pittsburgh would entertain. Rooney Jr., considered one of the cheapest owners in the NFL, would rather invest less in a proven player like Rodgers than bank on potential.