The Pittsburgh Steelers never prepared an adequate succession plan at the quarterback position while Ben Roethlisberger’s career was clearly coming to an end. Since his retirement, the Steelers have joined the slew of teams who seem to be stuck in a never-ending quarterback carousel.
Pittsburgh has used every possible method of acquiring players to test out all sorts of quarterbacks, from first-round rookies and unpolished talents to experienced veterans and former Super Bowl champions. But none of them have provided a solution.
Pittsburgh drafted quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft and signed journeyman quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in free agency. When those didn’t pan out, they signed aging veteran Russell Wilson in free agency and attempted a reclamation project by trading for struggling quarterback Justin Fields. While Wilson and Fields generated hope and excitement, they did little to move the needle, so now the Steelers find themselves back at the drawing board once again.
Despite all that effort, though, the latest rumor around their quarterback situation shows they haven't learned from past mistakes.
Steelers’ interest in Sam Darnold could be a recipe for disaster
Heading into the 2025 season, the Steelers may be looking to repeat their prior mistakes. Pittsburgh is expected to make an offer to pending free agent Sam Darnold next week, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Darnold led the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record and nearly clinched the NFC’s top seed last season. He finished with a career-high 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdowns while throwing just 12 interceptions. Now, he’s set to become one of the top available free agents. Teams believe Darnold will wind up with the Seattle Seahawks, but Pittsburgh is “doing its due diligence on any potential options” before free agency begins, Russini added.
While Darnold provided a magical Cinderella story during his 2024 campaign, those results will be hard to replicate in Pittsburgh. Darnold’s resurgence was remarkable, but he has yet to prove he can elevate a team in a less stable environment.
Minnesota’s roster was outfitted with talent across the board. Darnold had perennial All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson and rising star Jordan Addison on the perimeter, tight end T.J. Hockenson over the middle and running back Aaron Jones in the backfield, not to mention Kevin O'Connell at the controls. If Darnold made a mistake, the Vikings had the fifth-best scoring defense to cover up for the error.
The Steelers, on the other hand, would not provide Darnold with an advantageous supporting cast. There are questions at nearly every position group on the offensive roster. The offensive line has struggled to provide consistent protection, the rushing attack averaged the seventh-fewest yards per carry in the league and the receiving corps is considerably depleted. Wide receiver George Pickens is the only consistent weapon in the passing game, but his behavioral issues have made him unreliable.
The New York Jets selected Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but he lasted just three years in the Meadowlands. After a brief stint with the Carolina Panthers, Darnold was labeled as a first-round bust and found his opportunities shrink to those of a journeyman backup. After a year as the backup quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers, Darnold signed with the Minnesota Vikings to serve as a stopgap quarterback while the team developed a rookie quarterback. Instead, he started every game of the 2024 season and revived his career.
Although Pittsburgh remains interested in re-signing Fields, he’s unlikely to return without assurances of a starting role.