Quarterback is the most important position in football, and once again, it’s dominating the news cycle for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers have been in quarterback purgatory. In the market for a starter again, they have multiple different options. They could bring back one of their two starters from last year, or they could go in a different direction, like Sam Darnold. Yahoo Sports analyst Charles McDonald doesn’t think Pittsburgh would be good for Darnold, though.
“It’s hard to find an ecosystem as good as what the Vikings have to offer, even as the offensive line dissipated throughout the season with injuries,” McDonald said recently on his Football 301 podcast. “You’ve got Kevin O’Connell. You’ve got the best wide receiver in football, you’ve got maybe the best number two wide receiver in football, or up there in that echelon of guys you’d love to have as your number two.
“You go to the Steelers. You’ve got George Pickens. You’ve got an offensive line. We don’t know if you can run the ball, though. It just sounds like a recipe for disaster.”
Darnold has been in the league since 2018, but last year was easily his best season. It seemed like his career as a starter was basically over, but with the Minnesota Vikings, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He helped them go 14-3 in the regular season, throwing for over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions.
Part of that is likely because of Darnold’s support system. O’Connell, the Vikings’ head coach, is an excellent offensive mind. They also have an exciting cast of characters on offense. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson is one of the best players in the NFL. Jordan Addison is a wideout with a bright future. Running back Aaron Jones had an excellent season in 2024 as well.
The Steelers don’t have nearly as strong a foundation on offense. Outside of Pickens, their receiving corps is lacking. Najee Harris is a pending free agent, leaving them with a question mark at running back. Their offensive line has a bright future, but it isn’t solidified yet.
On that same podcast, analyst Nate Tice broke down why the Steelers’ offense is so lacking.
“They have Roman Wilson, who got hurt, but he’s like a number three anyway. He’s a slot-only, number three type. They’ve got some decent tight ends, but they’re all role-playing tight ends, too, as far as they’re usage,” Tice said. “They don’t have a number two, and even Pickens is like a low-end one, compared to what a real number one is.”
Tice hits the nail on the head with the Steelers. Their supporting cast on offense isn’t good enough to elevate a quarterback. Maybe they can change that in free agency and the draft, but at the moment, they’re seriously lacking. Darnold might revert to his old self in Pittsburgh.
That isn’t to say every Steelers option at quarterback is going to fail. However, for a player like Darnold, who’s only really been solid for one year, Pittsburgh might not be the best home.
They’re probably better off bringing back a player like Justin Fields, who is familiar with their offense. Darnold is unlikely to have the same success with the Steelers that he had with the Vikings. Even if the Steelers did sign him, they probably wouldn’t be significantly better than they were last year. They’ve got other problems holding them back.
