Pittsburgh Steelers fans often make fun of the Cleveland Browns, and they’ve got a lot of ammunition. However, former Steelers reporter Ed Bouchette doesn’t think Pittsburgh is too far off the Browns’ pace, at least at the QB position.
“You [Steelers] could have seven starting quarterbacks in three seasons,” Bouchette told 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller Friday. “They sound like the Cleveland Browns through the years. Very dysfunctional, very dysfunctional.”
The list of failed Browns’ starting quarterbacks is both long and infamous. The Steelers aren’t quite there yet, but their starting quarterback play over the past few seasons hasn’t been much better. Since 2021, Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have all started games for Pittsburgh. If the Steelers look outside the organization again in this offseason, it will be their seventh starter at the position in that time span, as Bouchette references.
If you’re looking to close the revolving door, Justin Fields or Sam Darnold might be an option. Looking at the quarterbacks available in free agency, these are the only two with a strong chance of landing a multi-year contract. Darnold played well enough in 2024 to earn a contract like that. Fields didn’t light up the stat-sheets in the same way, but his youth and potential make him a candidate. For the Steelers, it would at least be some form of continuity at the most important position on the field.
Bouchette doesn’t think Pittsburgh has any sort of a plan at the position.
“Until they get a quarterback, a good one, they’re not gonna win again,” Bouchette said. “It looks like they can’t even decide what they want to do at the position.”
It’s hard to argue with Bouchette here. The Steelers have strong leadership and a competitive roster. Those two facets have held them in playoff contention, despite being a lost cause at QB. However, until the position is truly fixed, the 2024 season is a good example of what Steelers fans can expect going forward.
There are veteran options available, like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. The Steelers might even get some good performances out of them in 2025, if signed. However, both of those options fail to stop that revolving door. Because of their age, the Steelers would be stuck in the same situation once again in another offseason or two.
One day, the Steelers will find their franchise QB. Hopefully it’s this offseason. If not, Browns fans might have something to throw back at their divisional rival.
