Art Rooney II wants one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields back in 2025, optimistic Pittsburgh Steelers can build on the success of 2024. Danny Parkins is looking high and low for all the “success.”
Reacting to Rooney’s quarterback roadmap, Parkins thinks fans should take big issue with that plan.
“That would really upset me if I’m a Steelers fan,” Parkins said on FS1’s Breakfast Ball Wednesday morning. “We had enough success with both of them. Did I miss the success?”
Speaking to reporters Monday, Rooney said his preference is for one of the Steelers’ starters to return.
“I think they’re both capable quarterbacks,” he told reporters during a Q&A session. “My preference would be to sign one of them. So that’ll be the priority, and I think that will give us the best opportunity to move forward. Obviously we’ll be looking in the draft as well.”
Pittsburgh got more out of its quarterback play in 2024 than it had in the previous two years post-Ben Roethlisberger. But it was a low bar to clear. Fields took care of the ball and didn’t lose games but failed to elevate the offense in scoring more points, leading Wilson to take over in Week 7 once fully recovered from his calf injury. By season’s end, the offense had tanked with Wilson at the helm and the Steelers failed to score more than 17 points over their final five games. In the final three losses, Wilson tossed just three touchdown passes and was sacked a whopping 13 times.
“They lost what, five straight games to end the season against all good teams,” Parkins said. “And then they were largely non-competitive in their playoff game. That’s not the standard of excellence that’s been set in Pittsburgh. So I don’t know what [Rooney’s] talking about.”
The reality is Pittsburgh has few good options at quarterback for the 2025 season. Free agency is weak with Fields and Wilson two of the top three pending names, though the likely release of Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins will add to the pool. The draft also presents only two likely first rounders with debatable Day 2 talent, though Ohio State’s Will Howard received high marks in our scouting report.
Running it back with one of the 2024 starters in a second year with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is the best path for the team. Rooney made it clear he wasn’t marrying either option and would look toward the draft this year or next, another admission of how poor this year’s class is. A short-term deal with Fields or Wilson coupled with a rookie could be how the Steelers’ quarterback depth chart tops out in 2025. Not that it will be enough to compete with the franchise arms of the AFC.
