With only two quarterbacks on their current roster, it was highly anticipated that the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to take not just a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, but also take Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. When they didn't take Sanders, there were many who thought it was because the Steelers are going all in on Aaron Rodgers while he waits to make his decision.
It seems that both assumptions were wrong, according to Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin.
In an interview during Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, Tomlin joined NFL Network to speak about the Steelers' picks throughout the draft so far. It all started with why they went with defensive tackle Derrick Harmon out of Oregon with the No. 21 pick. The reason was simple: Tomlin is building a team centered on the idea of a big-man presence.
"As you guys can see, not only in that pick, but all our others, there's a commitment here with this draft group to reestablish physicality and big man presence, and certainly Derrick Harmon fits that bill," Tomlin told NFL Network.
So it doesn't even seem like Sanders was on the radar for the Steelers, who didn't even end up taking a quarterback in the draft until the sixth round when they selected former Kansas State and Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are still awaiting Aaron Rodgers decision, but it didn't affect their draft process
The decision on where multi-NFL MVP winner and Super Bowl champion quarterback Aaron Rodgers will go is one that football fans are patiently waiting for. After being released from the New York Jets earlier this year, Rodgers has been in a state of waiting to hear from teams. While Rodgers did take a visit to the Steelers' facilities, no contracts were signed, and both sides are still weighing their options.
In his NFL Network interview, Tomlin said that they have a plan at the quarterback position that has yet to be revealed, but he doesn't have any update to add on the Rodgers situation.
So while Sanders wasn't selected by the Steelers, they didn't pass on him because of Rodgers; he just wasn't in the plan they had for the position. Instead, Sanders was taken by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round, where he will join fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who was also a Heisman Trophy finalist with Sanders.