Quarterback has been a major issue for the Pittsburgh Steelers since Ben Roethlisberger retired. The past few years have seen the Steelers completely overhaul their quarterback room, too. This year, they signed Aaron Rodgers to try to compete for a Super Bowl rather than attempt to find their next franchise quarterback. Because of that, analyst Tyler Dunne slammed the Steelers’ plan under center.
“Give me the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback plan over the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback plan at this point,” Dunne said recently on Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel. “This is quintessential Steelers of, you love it about Mike Tomlin, you want to do everything you can to win in the now. They’ll win seven or eight games probably, but it’s gonna cost them in the future.
“They’re always not looking at the forest. They’re too concerned with the trees. It’s admirable; they’re gonna fight like hell. But I don’t know what the plan is for the Steelers at quarterback, but it ain’t good, and it’s gonna end in nothing but misery.”
That’s a bold take, especially considering the Browns’ history at quarterback. They’ve spent the better part of the last two decades trying to find a decent quarterback. That quest has continued to end in failure.
This year, the Browns once again have a mess at quarterback. Right now, they’re still not even sure who their starter is going to be to begin the season. They signed Joe Flacco, traded for Kenny Pickett, and drafted Dillon Gabrial and Shedeur Sanders. Additionally, Deshaun Watson is still on their roster, although he’s recovering from a torn Achilles.
Flacco is 40 years old and hasn’t been a full-time starter in years. Pickett was drafted by the Steelers, and he quickly flamed out in Pittsburgh. Now, he’s battling back from a hamstring injury that cost him time in training camp. Neither of them feels like a long-term option for Cleveland.
Additionally, it’s unclear how good either of the Browns’ rookies can be. Gabriel was selected in the third round, but he’s very undersized. Sanders looks like the bigger wild card. Going into the 2025 draft, he had a lot of hype, but he ended up falling to the fifth round. While he had a decent showing in the Browns’ first preseason game, there’s no guarantee he’ll pan out.
The Steelers may not have Roethlisberger’s successor, but they’ve at least got a direction at quarterback. They signed Rodgers with the intent to compete for a championship this year. Also, they loaded up on draft capital for 2026. Therefore, they have ammo to potentially move up in the first round and select a talented young quarterback.
Is that easier said than done? Probably, but so is saying that the Browns can just find a great quarterback by tanking this year and getting a high draft pick. They’ve been down that road multiple times before, and it hasn’t changed their franchise yet. The Steelers at least have a more proven history of winning.
