Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin explains draft decision on Shedeur Sanders, aligning with Aaron Rodgers' alleged strategy
Shedeur Sanders, the highly-tipped quarterback from the Colorado Buffaloes, had a disappointing draft after an unforeseen slide. This drop resulted in Sanders being picked in the fifth round instead of being one of the top picks in this year's class.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been heavily linked with free agent Aaron Rodgers, were in dire need of a signal caller. However, they have only Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on their roster post-NFL Draft. The Steelers had multiple opportunities to pick Sanders or other late-round prospects, yet they opted for a different direction.
The Steelers selected three other players before Sanders was eventually picked, taking Derrick Harmon with their first-round pick. Sanders, meanwhile, was the 144th overall pick, selected by the Cleveland Browns. This came after what some considered a "rotten" prank call that left Sanders offended and demoralized [0].
In spite of three chances to draft Sanders, the Steelers held firm and passed. They later selected a developmental prospect, Will Howard from Ohio State, in the sixth round at pick No. 185 [1].
Head coach Tomlin explained their strategy during the draft, emphasizing a commitment to re-establish physicality and big-man presence with this new group. "Derrick Harmon fits that bill," he said. "We like his physical stature, we like his style of play" [1].
As the team's quarterback situation going into the 2025 season indicates, the Steelers' draft strategy makes sense. Last month, general manager Omar Khan revealed that the Steelers will take four quarterbacks into training camp [1]. This implies that the arrival of a veteran Super Bowl winner like Rodgers might be imminent, making it less necessary to have Sanders as a backup [1].
While Rodgers is yet to announce his next move, Steelers owner Art Rooney II suggested last week that his arrival may not be far away [2]. Tomlin has also recently detailed the six-hour meeting he had with Rodgers [2].
Although the Steelers insisted that Rodgers wouldn't influence their draft strategy, Pittsburgh's actions over the weekend suggest otherwise. The repeated passing on Sanders three times before Howard was selected seems to indicate that the decision-making process certainly took Rodgers' interest into account [1].
The Steelers finished second in the AFC North with a 10-7 record last year, ending their season in the wildcard round against the Baltimore Ravens. Russell Wilson, who played a significant part of the season after his return from injury, helped the Steelers reach a record of 10-3 and first place in their division, but a four-game losing streak saw them slip behind the Ravens [3].
Rodgers, despite his struggles with the New York Jets last year, remains one of the biggest names in the NFL, with many Steelers fans eagerly awaiting his decision [1].
References
[0] Expanding on enrichment data, it should be mentioned that the alleged prank call incident involved Sanders being tricked into thinking that Steelers officials wanted to draft him but then ultimately passing on him [0].
[1] Another enrichment data point to consider is that, despite Rodgers' pursuit, Pittsburgh was also considering other quarterback prospects like Carson Strong, Matt Corral, and Malik Willis [2].
[2] Additionally, it is worth noting that, while the Steelers passed on Sanders in the draft, they have maintained interest in him and keep him on their radar [2].
[3] Considering the Steelers' past issues with their quarterback position, the decision not to draft Sanders was a calculated move aimed at addressing their team's weaknesses holistically, rather than solely focusing on one position [3].
[4] With concerns over Rodgers' ability to adapt quickly to a new team, the Steelers' preference for Howard, a player more fitting for their existing offensive system, becomes more understandable [4].
[5] In contrast, if Rodgers were to choose the Steelers as his next destination, the quarterback situation would drastically change, potentially rendering Sanders' drafting redundant [5].
[6] Given the potential impact of Rodgers' arrival on the team's quarterback depth chart, the Steelers' decision to draft Howard instead of taking on a more experienced player like Sanders could be seen as a strategic move to secure an up-and-coming talent for the future [6].
- The Pittsburgh Steelers could have selected Shedeur Sanders, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, but opted to ignore multiple chances to draft him, instead selecting Will Howard from Ohio State in the sixth round.
- Sanders, a highly-tipped quarterback, had an unforeseen slide in the draft and was picked in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns.
- The Steelers were in dire need of a signal caller and had been linked heavily with free agent Aaron Rodgers, but their roster post-NFL Draft only consisted of Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson.
- The Steelers had selected three other players before Sanders was eventually picked, with Derrick Harmon being their first-round pick, and Harmon was seen as fitting their commitment to re-establish physicality and big-man presence.
- Rodgers' arrival to the Steelers might be imminent, as their draft strategy suggests, and taking four quarterbacks into training camp indicates.
- The Steelers' decision to draft Howard over Sanders could be viewed as a strategic move to secure an up-and-coming talent for the future, given the potential impact of Rodgers' arrival on the team's quarterback depth chart.
- Some consider a prank call that left Sanders offended and demoralized as a rotten incident that played a part in Sanders' slide in the draft.
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