Why the Steelers Rebuild Looks Different Than Most

When NFL teams enter a rebuild, one of their primary objectives is finding their next franchise quarterback. Finding a franchise quarterback in the NFL is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Every team wants one, but there just aren’t enough elite quarterbacks to go around. When you look at the most successful teams in the league, there’s one thing they all have in common: a true star leading the offense.

The last 10 quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl—Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, Nick Foles, Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, and Aaron Rodgers—prove that point. Most of them were the faces of their franchises. Even Nick Foles, who might be the exception, played out of his mind during that Super Bowl run. Without a franchise quarterback, life in the NFL can be brutal and often disappointing.

For the Pittsburgh Steelers, disappointment has become a bit too familiar lately. During Ben Roethlisberger’s prime, every season felt like a real shot at winning a championship. But the last time the Steelers made it to the AFC Championship was back in 2017. Two years later, Big Ben’s elbow injury was the beginning of the end for his career. Since then, the Steelers have been searching for stability at quarterback—a challenge a lot of teams face once they lose their guy.

They’re not alone, either. Even the once uber dominant Patriots have struggled without Tom Brady. Since Brady left, the Patriots have a 33-51 record, which is a 39% winning percentage, with only one playoff appearance that ended in a Wild Card loss. For a team that used to dominate, that’s a shocking turn of events.

The New Orleans Saints have had similar struggles without Drew Brees. Since he retired, they’ve posted a 30-38 record, a 44% winning percentage, and haven’t made the playoffs once. It’s hard to believe they were once seen as serious contenders.

Then there are the New York Giants. After Eli Manning retired, they’ve put up a 37-64 record, a 37% winning percentage, with just one playoff run that ended in the Divisional Round. For a franchise with two “recent” Super Bowl wins, that’s a steep drop-off.

Meanwhile, the Steelers have actually done better than most teams in a similar spot. Despite losing Roethlisberger, they’ve managed a 29-22 record, a 57% winning percentage, over the last three seasons with two playoff appearances. For most franchises, that would be impressive. But for a team with six Lombardi Trophies, the bar is way higher. Steelers fans—myself included—know that winning seasons and playoff appearances aren’t the goal. Competing for Super Bowls is.

A lot of fans say the Steelers never make any changes, but that’s just not true. They have fired an offensive coordinator mid-season for the first time ever and hired a new defensive coordinator. Since 2021, they’ve quietly rebuilt almost the entire roster. Only a few players, like Pat Freiermuth, Cam Heyward, TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Miles Killebrew, and Chris Boswell, are still around. That kind of overhaul shows the front office knows change is necessary—especially at quarterback. I’m not saying every decision was perfect, but it’s clear they’re trying to find the right path forward.

The reality is, elite quarterbacks are rare, and finding the next franchise guy is one of the toughest jobs in sports. The fact that the Steelers have stayed competitive without a top-tier quarterback says a lot about the organization and coaching staff. But until they find their next franchise star, it’s hard to see them making a serious Super Bowl run.

The NFL is all about quarterbacks, and while the Steelers have done a decent job keeping their heads above water, finding their next star quarterback has to be the top priority. History shows that it’s nearly impossible to stay on top without one. If the Steelers want to get back to competing for championships, they need to find that guy who can turn potential into trophies.

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