The Pittsburgh Steelers have been waiting on future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to make a decision for weeks, watching other top veteran signal-callers come off the market during that time. With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, there is a higher possibility of the Steelers taking a quarterback early.
Pittsburgh holds the 21st overall pick, likely well outside of the range where top prospects Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders will fall. However, the franchise is well within range of the draft projection for Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart.
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There also remains an expectation that Rodgers will still sign with the Steelers. However, a deal might be on pause until after the 2025 NFL Draft, when signing the four-time MVP wouldn’t factor into the compensatory-pick formula for compensation picks in 2026.
The Steelers know that Rodgers is a short-term solution to their quarterback issues and his play has progressively declined in recent years. In need of a long-term answer and a new face of the franchise, there is reportedly one prospect who head coach Mike Tomlin is high on.
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On his latest episode of The McShay Show, NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay said he’s heard that Tomlin “really likes’ Sanders and Pittsburgh could seriously consider him if he’s available with the 21st overall pick.
“I am told…Mike Tomlin really likes Shedeur. If he’s there at 21, Shedeur could very well be a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
Todd McShay on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ interest in Shedeur Sanders
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Whether or not Sanders is available at the 21st overall selection might come down to the New Orleans Saints. The organization has focused heavily on the 2025 quarterback class, aware of Derek Carr’s potential season-ending shoulder surgery well before the news broke.
However, there have also been NFL rumors that the Saints might prefer Dart over Sanders. If that is the case, New Orleans could take Dart with the 9th overall pick and that would likely cause a draft-day slide for Sanders. With no teams picking inside the teens realistically in the quarterback market, Sanders could slide to the Steelers if the dominoes fall a certain way on draft night.
If Sanders is drafted by Pittsburgh, he would presumably serve as the backup in 2025 in the likely event that Rodgers signs. it would provide the Steelers with the immediate quality starter they need and a long-term starter who could develop behind the scenes before taking over in 2026.
