Schefter: Rooney Concerned In QB Search, Steelers Did not Provide 1st Rounder For Stafford

Because the Pittsburgh Steelers proceed to seek for their 2025 quarterback, Artwork Rooney II sounds as concerned as ever. With important choices to be made and the mounting strain on a franchise in search of a participant who can ship the staff a playoff victory, ESPN’s Adam Schefter says Rooney isn’t sitting again and letting Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan do all of the work.

“Possession’s been concerned in all this,” Schefter informed ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith throughout a spirited First Take dialogue Thursday. “They’ve been concerned. They had been in on Matthew Stafford. Let’s not move the ball to administration. That is possession, too.”

Chatting with the media shortly after the Steelers’ 2024 season ended, Rooney expressed a need to retain Justin Fields or Russell Wilson. Neither occurred. Fields took a greater supply from the New York Jets whereas Pittsburgh soured on Wilson, pursuing Aaron Rodgers as Wilson inked a one-year cope with the New York Giants this week.

Presumably, Rooney signed off on the pivot. It’s not clear if he was concerned in Rodgers’ go to final Friday, reporting has been combined, nevertheless it’s affordable to consider he was within the constructing. The final clear full-time beginning quarterback obtainable, the Steelers can’t afford to overlook out on Rodgers.

Pittsburgh’s quarterback search started early within the offseason with one other veteran. The Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford wasn’t given specific commerce permission however was allowed to gauge his worth across the league, opening the door for him to be dealt. Schefter says if Rooney and Pittsburgh had been , they weren’t keen to pay high greenback.

“With Matthew Stafford, you already know what, sooner or later in time early on, the Pittsburgh Steelers may have gone all-in and stated, ‘You understand what? We’re gonna quit our first-round decide,’” Schefter stated. “Is that what they needed to do? No. Not for a 37-year-old quarterback. However they may have executed that. They opted to not. They didn’t supply that.”

It’s not clear if the Steelers made any formal supply to the Rams. In the event that they did, it clearly wasn’t ok. The Rams and Stafford hammered out an settlement to maintain him with the staff, a clever determination for each events. Stafford obtained to stay with an NFC contender, the Rams didn’t have to begin over at quarterback and disrupt their window to win.

Whereas Stafford would’ve been probably the most gifted possibility of any quarterback this offseason, the Steelers selecting in opposition to giving up No. 21 total is cheap. Given Stafford’s age, potential looming retirement, and the contract required to maintain him, a primary rounder is a giant ask. Including Rodgers presents the same ability set at possible a decreased price ticket with out giving up premium draft capital.

Regardless of who the Steelers had been “in” and “out” on, all that’s remembered are outcomes. In Pittsburgh, they haven’t been ok. Aggressive common seasons, bitter playoff exits. Angst inside and outdoors the Steelers’ constructing is mounting, main Rooney to become involved with the staff’s largest choices to try to proper the ship.