On the first night of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers did not draft a quarterback. Instead, they took defensive lineman Derrick Harmon with their first-round pick. That’s also a huge need for them, so it wasn’t surprising to see them go in that direction. However, every quarterback except Cam Ward was available, and the Steelers still didn’t pull the trigger on one in Round 1. ESPN’s Peter Schrager believes this sent a message to Aaron Rodgers, whom the Steelers are still hoping to sign.
“If you’re in the Aaron Rogers game and you’re trying to convince Aaron to come and you’re even trying to still be in the Aaron Rodgers game, the last thing you would do would be draft a quarterback tonight,” Schrager said Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show’s Draft Spectacular. “And they go to Aaron and be like, ‘No, we still are really committed to you.’ This to me tells you you’re all in on Rodgers.
“This tells me you’re all in on Rodgers and you’re gonna give help to Rodgers so that he can field the best team possible. Shedeur [Sanders], to me, made sense at 21, but this just tells me even more so that this is Rodgers and the Steelers and that’s the future.”
Schrager might not be wrong. Currently, the Steelers’ quarterback depth chart consists of Skylar Thompson and Mason Rudolph. While Tomlin seems comfortable starting Rudolph, it doesn’t feel like that would give the Steelers a high ceiling this season. A rookie might’ve given them more life.
After the first round, there was a report from Josina Anderson that the Steelers wanted an answer from Rodgers before the draft began. That could mean Pittsburgh is getting tired of waiting on the four-time NFL MVP. They also could’ve been trying to gain some clarity if a quarterback they liked fell to them in Round 1.
There were plenty of rumors connecting Shedeur Sanders to the Steelers. He was available at No. 21, and the Steelers didn’t take him. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Steelers are all in on Rodgers. It does, however, leave him as one of the more desirable options left.
However, the Steelers could still draft a quarterback. It just seems more unlikely that any player they’d select on Day 2 or 3 would be an immediate starter. Sanders has flaws, but he might’ve been able to at least compete with Rudolph. In a weak quarterback class, it doesn’t feel like a Day 2 or 3 player will be ready to start as a rookie.
Rodgers made it clear that he isn’t sure when, or if, he’ll return to football. Tomlin seemed prepared to wait, but as time drags on, that might be tougher to do. If the Steelers continue waiting and he retires, they could be in a tricky spot under center. However, if they do land Rodgers, they could field their best team in years. Steelers fans might have to get comfortable waiting on a decision from Rodgers.
