While Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan is keeping his quarterback options open, like owner Art Rooney II, his starting point is re-signing one of his 2024 starting quarterbacks. Maybe even both. Speaking to Tuesday reporters at the NFL Combine, Khan said talks remain ongoing with Fields and Wilson as the team sorts out its 2025 starter.
“I think ideally, like to sign one of the guys that we had last year,” Khan told a beat reporter scrum that included our Joe Clark. “But the reality is they’re both free agents. So until we get one of those guys under contract, all options are on the table.”
Pittsburgh completely swapped out its quarterback room ahead of 2024. Mason Rudolph hit free agency, Mitch Trubisky was released, and Kenny Pickett was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles. In came Russell Wilson and Kyle Allen via signing and Justin Fields through a trade with the Chicago Bears.
Wilson was the expected 2024 starter but missed the first six games with recurring calf injuries. Compared to his time in Chicago, Fields showed progression but struggled to put big points on the board, leaving Mike Tomlin to pivot to Wilson in Week 7. A hot start ended with a cold finish and five-game losing streak.
While neither quarterback definitively proved to be the answer, wanting to re-sign one of them is logical. To maintain continuity with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and knowing the lack of external options. It is a shallow free agent pool and weak draft class while a big swing at Matthew Stafford would be costly.
Returning the exact same QB room as a season ago is unlikely but Khan isn’t ruling out just re-signing one.
“I don’t know how realistic it is that all three will be back,” he said. “But there’s an opportunity for there to be a combination of a couple of those guys will be back. We’ll be happy with that.”
Of course, that could – and more likely – refer to re-signing Fields or Wilson along with Kyle Allen as opposed to Fields and Wilson. Even Rooney acknowledged if one signs, the other is likely to leave in pursuit of a starting job elsewhere. Quarterback is the Steelers’ top storyline and will remain so until there’s clarity. And even then, questions will remain over if the 2025 starter is in the team’s plans for 2026 and beyond.
