Never one to hold back, Hall of Famer and former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw doesn’t think the team has the horses to compete in 2025. On either side of the ball. In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Bradshaw ran down the many issues with the roster.
“Our offensive line in Pittsburgh has not been good for the last few years,” Bradshaw said. “Why they haven’t addressed it to try to fix it, I don’t know. Receivers are basically so-so. And I actually came out and said we need to be developing a young kid [at quarterback].”
Through three weeks, Pittsburgh has the No. 12 scoring offense. On the surface, a good and uncommon place for the Steelers to be. But it’s been painful to reach that point with an offensive line struggling to develop, a passing game that can’t push the ball downfield, and spotty play from QB Aaron Rodgers.
Contrary to Bradshaw’s words, the Steelers haven’t attempted to fix the offensive line. Under GM Omar Khan, the team has made big investments there through the draft. Moves former GM Kevin Colbert failed to make in his final years. But the group hasn’t grown the way the Steelers expected or needed. Broderick Jones has been below-average at left tackle, center Zach Frazier hasn’t taken a second-year jump, and right tackle Troy Fautanu hasn’t lived up to the team’s lofty billing.
DK Metcalf has struggled to get loose downfield and put up modest numbers the last two weeks, though he caught his second touchdown pass Sunday in the Steelers’ win over the New England Patriots. Calvin Austin III has made big plays but isn’t seeing volume in Arthur Smith’s system, catching eight passes through three weeks. Combined, the rest of the Steelers’ wide receivers have two receptions while the tight ends have mostly been used on checkdowns and dumpoffs.
Bradshaw has flipped on Aaron Rodgers and doesn’t see him capable of carrying the Steelers all season.
“One of the greats that we’ve had,” he said of Rodgers. “But not now, not this stage of his life. Unless he’s on a great football team and that’s not a great football team.”
Bradshaw’s concerns about the Steelers aren’t just on offense, either.
“You know what though?” he said. “Maybe they gotta fix their defense now. Maybe it’s getting old.”
Pittsburgh has an old defense that only added age this offseason with DB Jalen Ramsey and CB Darius Slay. The Steelers played their best game yesterday on that side of the ball, forcing five turnovers and recording five sacks in a seven-point win. Still, communication can be cleaned up and the team struggled to win on possession downs even with CB Brandin Echols’ final fourth-down stop.
Both sides of the ball have plenty of work to do and Bradshaw doesn’t seem confident the Steelers will reach the high bar needed to become contenders.Â
