Heading into the offseason the quarterback position is anything but settled for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While head coach Mike Tomlin said at his end-of-year press conference that Kenny Pickett remained QB1, it was third-string QB Mason Rudolph who started the final games, even after Pickett had recovered from ankle surgery.
It is not clear if either Pickett or Rudolph is the future and the team could consider other options in free agency or the draft. One of those names could be Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis.
Travis is currently in Frisco, Texas, for the East-West Shrine Bowl. He spoke with Steelers Depot and confirmed that he has already met with the Steelers.
Coming off a season-ending left leg injury that required surgery, Travis confirmed that he sustained a fibula fracture. Currently in a boot, he hopes to be rid of it in about two weeks but his rehabilitation will take a few more months. He said that he hopes to be fully recovered by May but has to take it day by day.
Travis is not able to practice this week but he is participating in every other way he can. And it isn’t just meetings and team interviews. He spends time speaking to young fans and signing whatever they ask before practice. He’s on the field with his teammates during 1-on-1 drills to help get the ball to his fellow quarterbacks. He is present for every coaching moment along with meeting NFL teams and media.
After this week, he will return home for continued rehab. He has received an invitation to the NFL Combine and said his participation there will be limited to meetings, interviews, and the medical evaluation. His goal is to be able to do more at his Pro Day.
“That’s the goal, in mid-April,” Travis said. “Get my feet moving a little. I won’t be able to run, probably. I just want to be smart but at the same time show the teams I’m gonna be good.”
He was already tossing the ball a little here on the sideline.
A Florida native, Travis started his college career at Louisville but played only three games in his first year before transferring to Florida State University. The QB was a key part of the program’s success and a dual threat, with over 500 yards rushing in 2020 and 2021. In his final year, he gained most of his yards through the air, only running to extend that play. But it appears to be a devised QB run that resulted in his injury:
When asked about how he plans to use his legs in the NFL, he joked that he has gotten away from his old style from years ago when he was called “QRB”. His focus for playing at the next level, as he explained.
“For my career, I’ll try to save my body a little bit more. I make plays with my legs when I have to. I don’t want to rely on my feet. I’m a passer, I’m a quarterback. I mean, you gotta make plays. Especially in the NFL today, you gotta be able to be a little bit mobile and make plays with your feet when you have to.”
In 2023, Travis went 11-0 before his injury, completing 204 or 367 attempts for 2756 yards, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions with an adjusted passing yards per attempt of 9.5.
