The Pittsburgh Steelers did not trade their pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, they also did not draft a quarterback. Pittsburgh made defensive tackle Derrick Harmon out of Oregon the 21st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Harmon is undoubtedly a good player, and he could fit in well with Pittsburgh along their defensive line. Still, the team has no clear starting quarterback after the first round. One NFL insider believes this somewhat indicates the team’s pursuit of veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers.
Steelers Passing on Shedeur Sanders Is an Aaron Rodgers Sign
Peter Schrager appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN on draft night, where he was asked whether he had any idea the team would pass on a quarterback at No. 21. Schrager said no and that he feels this move has some implications for the team’s chase of Rodgers.
“I thought [Pittsburgh] was the one place for Shedeur. I know he had a good meeting with [head coach Mike] Tomlin, I know he had a decent meeting that was five hours long there. And I thought if there was a guy that can unilaterally say, ‘Screw it, that’s my guy, let’s bring him in,’ it was Tomlin,” Schrager said on Thursday, April 24.
“Truth of the matter is, if you’re in the Aaron Rodgers game, and you’re trying to convince Aaron to come, and you’re trying to still be in the Aaron Rodgers game, the last thing you want to do is draft a quarterback tonight. … This tells me you’re all in on Rodgers, and you’re going to give help to Rodgers so he can field the best team possible,” he continued.
"This is [Aaron] Rodgers and the Steelers and that's the future."
—@PSchrags on the Steelers passing on drafting Shedeur Sanders 👀 pic.twitter.com/tSiiM4QZWD
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL)
Pittsburgh has one quarterback on the roster at this time. Mason Rudolph returned to the team in NFL free agency. The Oklahoma State product saw some starting time in Tennessee in 2024. However, he did not impress in that role.
Pittsburgh could still land Sanders if they want him. The Colorado star did not hear his name called in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. What complicates matters is Pittsburgh’s draft capital. The team does not own a second-round pick, making a trade into the top half of the round rather difficult.
Of course, Pittsburgh could elect not to draft a quarterback at all. That decision would certainly place a lot of faith in their ability to sign Rodgers. And it would add pressure for the team to draft a long-term starter when the event is in Pittsburgh in 2026.
