In 2023, the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the most peculiar seasons in recent memory. With a 10-7 record, head coach Mike Tomlin’s team qualified for the playoffs, although the Steelers struggled mightily due to an offense that was ineffective for much of the season.
Under starter quarterback Kenny Pickett, their offense frequently underperformed for three quarters over the first twelve weeks of the season before improving sufficiently in the fourth quarter to win most of their games.
In Week 12, the Steelers defeated the Bengals 16-10, giving them a 7-4 record. In that game, the Steelers’ offense put up one of their rare steady performances. Pickett completed 24 of 33 throws for 278 yards, and the winning team had a 37:17 time of possession to the Bengals’ 22:43.
But, Pickett’s injury forced quarterback Mitch Trubisky to go in, just as it appeared like the Steelers could be turning the turnaround.
The Steelers were playing two home games against the New England Patriots and the weak Arizona Cardinals, so it appeared like Pittsburgh would keep winning. But the Steelers faltered miserably and fell short against those bottom-dwelling teams in both games.
The Steelers ended the season with victories over the Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, and Baltimore Ravens, despite the fact that it appeared set to finish in despair following a third straight loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The club took a liking to Mason Rudolph’s leadership after the ineffectual Trubisky was benched as the starting quarterback.
It appears likely that Pickett will start the 2025 season with the inside track, but Rudolph will get an opportunity to prove himself and might take over as the starter if he performs better than Pickett.
The NFL Draft or free agency are other options for the Steelers to select their starting quarterback in the future. If the injured quarterback chooses not to resign with the Vikings, the Steelers are reportedly interested in acquiring Kirk Cousins.
Trubisky will most likely go.
The Steelers and Tomlin believed that having a seasoned quarterback who has encountered some extremely difficult situations since his NFL debut would be a good backup for Pickett.
But Trubisky was just not the solution for the Steelers, and at this stage of his career, he might not be able to find another NFL backup quarterback position. He is just not a good leader or passer.
Last season, Trubisky completed 67 of 107 passes for 632 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions. His passing score was 71.9.
Although Trubisky, 29, possesses exceptional physical prowess, he has never shown the kind of consistency required to succeed in the NFL. Tomlin has undoubtedly seen enough to realize that Trubisky is not worth the $8 million he was given the previous season and that it is not a good idea to keep him on the roster.
