The NFL Draft is just over 24 hours away at the time of writing, and the festivities around the city of Pittsburgh have gotten off to a nice start. And while the city is buzzing, its team is still without a definitive answer at quarterback for the 2026 season, as Aaron Rodgers has yet to make a decision on whether or not he will return for a second season with the Steelers.
Steelers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis spoke with Behind The Steel Curtain in Pittsburgh ahead of the draft,
and said he is fine with the pursuit of Rodgers, but wants to see the team take a quarterback.
“I don’t have a problem with the Aaron Rodgers project in terms of this year,” Bettis said. “But I do believe [the Steelers should] go and maybe in the latter rounds – in the third, fourth, fifth round – maybe you get one of those quarterbacks and maybe you are able to then develop them to a degree where next year you either have a quarterback or you’re going to get a quarterback [in the 2027 draft]. So, that way, you’re not in the same quagmire that you’re in every year.”
The Steelers brought in several mid-round projected quarterbacks for pre-raft visits, including Carson Beck and Drew Allar. Bettis adds that he’d love to see the Steelers move up a handful of picks if there is a player they love in the first round.
“This year, I would love to see if they could move up five or six slots,” Bettis said. “There’s a couple offensive linemen that I think they could really utilize. Unfortunately, they may not be there. So that’s my fear is that they miss out on one of these really good offensive linemen.
The Steelers have 12 picks in this draft, more than any other team in the NFL. Should they want to make a leap forward, they have the ammunition to do so.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
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