Despite having shown interest in the likes of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Louisville’s Tyler Shough, not to mention Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, at quarterback throughout the pre-draft process, the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on all of them — multiple times in some instances — in the 2025 NFL Draft.
That left many wondering what the Steelers’ plan is moving forward.
Ultimately, the Steelers drafted Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round at No. 185 overall, adding another big, strong quarterback to their roster. He’s coming off a national championship with the Buckeyes and profiles as a good fit in Arthur Smith’s scheme.
Yet, the Steelers continue to be ripped by national pundits. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. couldn’t let it go Sunday, criticizing the Steelers for not drafting an impact QB like Sanders, and on Monday morning ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum, a former NFL GM with the New York Jets, questioned what the Steelers are doing at the position.
“Well, Pittsburgh to me, and they’re a good organization, so the way they comported themselves, how could they have not taken a quarterback before they took Will Howard? To me, they have to have a deal in place with Aaron Rodgers,” Tannenbaum said of the Steelers having one of the biggest head-scratching drafts, according to audio via ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike. “Like, how could you not take Shedeur Sanders? Like, Shedeur Sanders was a really good player.
“We could argue was he a first rounder or a second rounder, that’s fine. But at some point. you’re in the fourth, how can you not take a shot on Shedeur Sanders? Like, it makes no sense to me.”
It might not make sense to many, and that’s fine. But the Steelers had a clear plan in the draft, stuck to their board and built their team within their vision. Seeing Sanders slide the way he did and the Steelers passing on him time and time again was rather telling.
Now, they’ll have the chance to face him in Cleveland twice a year, should he make the team and ultimately win the starting job.
The Steelers very much like Howard, too. They did quite a bit of work on him throughout the pre-draft process and ultimately timed the selection perfectly, getting great value with him in the sixth round. He might not be that franchise guy due to limitations with arm strength, but he brings toughness, leadership and is big and strong, which fits everything the Steelers look for.
While Mike Tomlin might have liked Sanders, the Steelers obviously didn’t as they passed time and time again.
Pittsburgh is still waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers, but things seem to be trending in the right direction there, and the Steelers — particularly team president and owner Art Rooney II — believe they may get word soon from the 41-year-old quarterback.
If he signs, the picture becomes all the more clear for the Steelers at QB. But for right now, the national media is missing the forest for the trees.
