The Pittsburgh Steelers are at perhaps the most intriguing crossroads in their franchise history. After 19 seasons under Mike Tomlin, there is a new head coach in the building and a new direction beginning to take shape. What remains unresolved, and increasingly urgent, is the quarterback position.
Ray Fittipaldo Pushes Back on First-Round QB Speculation
Pittsburgh does not yet know who will start in 2026, and mock drafts have already begun linking the Steelers to another first-round quarterback in a class widely viewed as thin at the position. That growing buzz is exactly why one longtime Steelers reporter is pushing back on the idea.
During a recent Steelers fan chat, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Ray Fittipaldo was asked directly about Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and whether the Steelers could take him at No. 21 overall. Fittipaldo left little room for interpretation.
“I could be dead wrong, but I’ll say 1%,” he wrote. “I just don’t see them taking another chance on a QB with questionable first-round talent. They cannot afford to make that mistake again, especially with the 2027 class looking much more promising.”
The skepticism is rooted in recent history. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season, the Steelers have cycled through Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, and, most recently, Aaron Rodgers. Stability has been elusive.
Pickett, the 20th overall pick in the 2022 draft, was supposed to end the uncertainty. Over two seasons, he completed 62.6% of his passes for 4,474 yards with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, going 14–10 as a starter. The production never matched the investment, and he has since bounced around the league.
Rodgers offered short-term competence in 2025. The Steelers went 10–7 and reached the playoffs before falling to Houston in the Wild Card round. Rodgers ranked No. 29 in PFSN’s NFL QB Impact Metric. He was no longer elite, but he provided functional quarterback play.
Tomlin and the organization parted ways shortly after the season. Pittsburgh hired Mike McCarthy, reuniting Rodgers with his former Green Bay head coach. Whether Rodgers, at age 42, returns for another season remains unresolved.
Why Ty Simpson Continues to Appear in Steelers Mock Drafts
Even with that caution, Simpson’s name keeps surfacing in projections. The Athletic recently mocked him to Pittsburgh at No. 21 overall, calling it a natural pairing given the Steelers’ long-term need at the position.
Simpson took over as Alabama’s starter last season and threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He added 93 rushing yards and 2 scores while earning an 85.4 PFSN College QB Impact score. Evaluators have pointed to his processing ability and decision-making, even though he made just 15 career starts.
That limited sample size is where the comparison to Pickett becomes unavoidable. Another back-half first-round quarterback. Another projection based on traits rather than a long résumé.
The question for Pittsburgh is not simply whether Simpson has talent. It is whether Year 1 under McCarthy is the moment to take another developmental swing in a class that many around the league view as thin.
