Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have shown Aaron Rodgers they’re willing to wait as long as necessary to hand him the reins of the offense for the 2025 NFL season. However, the 41-year-old may not be the only quarterback the coach is interested in.
The latest word on the street is that Tomlin is a huge admirer of Colorado product Shedeur Sanders, who is heading into the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the most exciting quarterbacks of his class.
“I tend to trust where I get this information. Mike Tomlin really likes Shedeur. If he’s there at 21, Shedeur could very well be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Todd McShay of The Ringer said on The McShay Show.
McShay isn’t the only one hearing that rumor though. With Rodgers still mysterious about his future, Jeff Hathhorn of 93.7 The Fan adds that Shedeur would also like to play under Tomlin in Pittsburgh.
Shedeur Sanders #QB13 of Colorado looks on during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 01, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“Yeah, there is mutual respect, mutual interest,” Hathhorn said. “I think it starts with his father and then trickles down to the son. It’s no secret the Steelers are interested in a quarterback. They need a quarterback and Shedeur is high on their list.”
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The connection between the Steelers and Sanders increased over the last few weeks, especially with Shedeur showing up at the team’s facility as part of a pre-draft visit last Thursday.
Sanders wasn’t the only quarterback to visit Pittsburgh though, with Kyle McCord being the latest signal-caller to join the list of candidates for the Steelers as Rodgers delays his answer.
Before McCord and Sanders, Tomlin and company also hosted Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough. In addition, the Steelers head coach and GM Omar Khan attended the Pro Days at Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, and Alabama to watch Will Howard, Quinn Ewers, Riley Leonard, and Jalen Milroe, respectively.
Sanders is reportedly Tomlin, Steelers’ favorite QB of 2025 class
However, Sanders appears to be their favorite name on the list. In fact, the Steelers could even make a trade with the New York Jets in order to get a higher pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and secure Shedeur before another team does.
Dan Graziano of ESPN believes that the Steelers, who hold the No. 21 overall pick, should be a team to watch trading up to get Sanders in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft:
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“If Shedeur Sanders does not go at nine, if he’s still available at 10 or in the teens, watch out for the Pittsburgh Steelers at 21 for the potential to move up. They had him in for a visit late last week. They’re still waiting on an answer from Aaron Rodgers, to whom they’ve had an offer out for some time. But they know that Aaron Rodgers is not gonna be the long-term answer at quarterback, even if he does sign there.“
