For the second straight year, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback depth chart will look completely different from the previous year. Shuffling continues at football’s most important position as the organization tries a new set of names to get things right.
A year ago, Pittsburgh’s quarterback room consisted of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen. With Wilson officially signing with the New York Giants, none of the three will return. The assumption is that Aaron Rodgers will come to Pittsburgh to top the depth chart along with Mason Rudolph and someone else. Perhaps Skylar Thompson, the other quarterback under contract. Or it could be one of the several rookies the team has eye-balled in this year’s draft.
The 2024 group was an interesting trio of low-cost and low-risk moves. They signed Wilson for the veteran minimum. Trading for Fields for pennies. Allen on a cheap contract. A chance to evaluate the group, hoping to find a long-term answer. The idea had merit but also came at a cost. All three, Wilson, Fields (after declining his option), and Allen, were pending free agents. Meaning there was no guarantee that all three would be kept.
In the end, none were. Pittsburgh wanted to retain Fields and offered him a contract. However, the New York Jets had a stronger offer and a clear opportunity to start. Perhaps he felt burned by being benched six weeks into 2024 despite leading the Steelers to a 4-2 start, barely playing the rest of the year as the Steelers’ season ended in a five-game tumble. Publicly, Pittsburgh expressed a desire to keep either of their starters but clearly soured on Wilson. Interest in him was minimal despite his repeated comments wanting to stay in Pittsburgh.
Allen, who attempted just one pass with the Steelers, signed with the Detroit Lions to compete for Jared Goff’s backup spot.
While waiting on Rodgers, Pittsburgh signed Rudolph to a two-year, $8 million deal. Of course, he’s far from “new” to the Steelers, having spent six years with the team. He’s slated to be Rodgers’ immediate backup, a clear No. 2 after his first stint saw him bouncing between second and third-string.
Rodgers, assuming he inevitably signs, is the headliner. Pittsburgh will bank on him still proving he can play at 41. His arm and mind aren’t questions. The rest of his body and ability to hold up over a season is. And anywhere Rodgers goes, the media follows. Any struggles he and the Steelers have will be magnified.
Pittsburgh prefers to have starting experience from top to bottom on its depth chart, giving Thompson and his three NFL starts a chance. But a mid-round draft pick could be added. Perhaps Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Ohio State’s Will Howard, or Louisville’s Tyler Shough could be a third-round choice. It would give Pittsburgh a younger and developmental option to explore before potentially making a major move in 2026.
Based on the roster’s current construction, quarterback will be the Steelers’ hot topic next offseason. Rodgers may only play one more season and, at the least, figures to take time after 2025 to determine his future. Rudolph is signed through 2026, but he is hardly anyone’s definition of a starter, including Pittsburgh’s.
It’s a carousel that won’t stop until the Steelers address the quarterback position like most teams who have found their answer have done. Spend a first-round pick on it. The 2025 class likely isn’t strong enough to make that happen, and drafting early is no guarantee. Pittsburgh discovered that with Kenny Pickett. But it’s the path out of this endless cycle of quarterback roulette.
