The Pittsburgh Steelers’ interest in QB Shedeur Sanders — particularly Mike Tomlin’s — has now been reported by multiple insiders. Previous reports indicated that Tomlin really likes Sanders but left some room for interpretation. Tony Pauline’s latest words paint a more precise picture of the situation within the Steelers’ building.
“My reporting was that Mike Tomlin is in favor of the team drafting Shedeur Sanders,” Sportskeeda’s Pauline said Tuesday via 93.7 The Fan’s Pomp and Joe Show. “Shedeur Sanders is Mike Tomlin’s guy. Now, whether or not he’s gonna have the final say or not, I don’t know.”
Could Aaron Wilson’s report that Sanders’ visit with the Steelers didn’t go well have come from somebody else in the building? This is speculation on my part, but could another exec or scout have a different interpretation of the visit? Sanders is said to have a unique personality, so that wouldn’t be the most surprising thing.
What we do know is that Tomlin likes him. He confirmed as much today during his pre-draft press conference. He specifically praised Sanders’ toughness and competitive spirit.
Tomlin places a high priority on intangible qualities, especially when it comes to quarterbacks. He routinely held high expectations for Kenny Pickett and referred to “football justice” eventually coming because of how hard Pickett worked and everything he saw behind the scenes from him. That didn’t work out in the end for Pittsburgh.
While the intangible qualities are undoubtedly important, they are nothing without the measurable characteristics. Is Sanders the most athletic? No. Does he have the strongest arm? Also no.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t NFL caliber, but that is for the evaluators to decide within the Steelers’ building. It really seems like Tomlin is sold on the rest of the package being good enough.
The P-G’s Gerry Dulac recently opined that Tomlin has even more control now with Omar Khan than he did with Kevin Colbert as the GM. Whether or not that is true, we all know Tomlin has significant sway in the building. If Tomlin really likes Sanders and he can get Art Rooney II on board, then maybe Sanders is their top target at pick No. 21.
