While the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most accomplished franchises in the NFL, they’ve felt stuck in recent years. They’ve been mediocre, not winning a playoff game since the 2016 season. Last year, it looked like they were going to break that streak, but they collapsed to end the season. Some people think Mike Tomlin should shoulder most of the blame for the Steelers’ failures. However, Jerome Bettis thinks their quarterback position is more of a problem than Tomlin.
“They’re a victim of their own success,” Bettis said during an interview a few months ago on RG’s YouTube channel. “Because [Tomlin’s] never had the losing season, they’ve never been able to draft in the top five or top 10 where you’ve gotta go get a quarterback.
“They’ve picked at 17, 18, 22, 24, you’re not gonna get the quarterback that you need at that point. It’s 100% the quarterback scenario because you haven’t been able to go get the guy.”
Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers have struggled to find a solid starting quarterback. Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson have all had issues. Even Roethlisberger wasn’t great during his last few years. That’s part of what’s held the Steelers back.
However, it hasn’t been their only issue. In their past two playoff losses, they didn’t terrible quarterback play. It was their defense that really underwhelmed, especially last season. The Baltimore Ravens ran all over them, so even with Wilson playing fine, they had no chance.
Tomlin should get some of blame for that. The Steelers were one of the league’s best teams in 2024, and then they ended the season on a five-game losing streak. Their defense, while relatively healthy, was plagued by miscommunication and missed tackles. For a defense as experienced and talented as the Steelers’, that shouldn’t have been a problem late in the year.
Would the Steelers have a better chance at winning in the postseason if they had a better quarterback? Yes, but great quarterbacks also lose in the playoffs all the time. The truth is likely that the totality of the blame shouldn’t fall on Tomlin or the Steelers’ quarterbacks. They’re both at fault.
Most teams hit rock bottom when they lose their franchise quarterback. Under the Tomlin, the Steelers have still remained relatively competitive. Although that shouldn’t excuse their shortcomings, it is a good thing. If they can find a capable quarterback, they should be a solid team. Perhaps Aaron Rodgers will be that player for them.
