Should the Steelers Bid on a 2026 Texas Tech Quarterback?
The Steelers have been searching for a long-term franchise quarterback ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022. With this being veteran QB Aaron Rodgers’ final NFL season, the Steelers still don’t have a long-term solution. New head coach Mike McCarthy is developing young QBs Will Howard and Drew Allar. However, it’s too soon to know if either of them will become the team’s next franchise QB. Since Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby declared for the supplemental draft on Tuesday, there’s been speculation about whether the Steelers will bid on him.
The Vegas sensation is a talented QB. However, adding him to the team would be very risky. The 22-year-old has a well-documented history of gambling problems. Sorsby made more than 9,000 bets on college and professional sports during his collegiate football career. His bets added up to at least $90,000. He made 40 bets involving the Indiana Hoosiers while he was on their team.
Various NFL analysts and former players have warned teams about Sorsby. During his show on Tuesday, ESPN’s Rich Eisen shared his thoughts about the young shot-caller. He explained, “It's buyer beware with the kid. You hear all the time, talent over everything. He’s very talented, and you’ve got to figure out what the everything is.” Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison was very adamant about his opinion on the former Cincinnati dual-threat. On his Deebo & Joe podcast on Tuesday, he addressed the NFL commissioner, saying, “Hey! Roger Goodell, what are you going to do? Are you gonna let this degenerate gambler into the NFL?” He added, “He needs help, if you wanna call it help. I don’t call it help.” During an appearance on ESPN’s NFL Live, former NFL QB Tim Hasselbeck cautioned teams against making Sorsby their next franchise quarterback. He said, “You’re drafting someone to be a franchise quarterback. You have got to make sure that he’s the right guy to lead your franchise. There’d be some serious concerns in terms of the history off the field.”
The Steelers already have a crowded QB room with Rodgers, Howard, Allar, and Mason Rudolph. McCarthy is already working to develop Howard and Allar. Developing two young quarterbacks is enough of a challenge. He doesn’t need to add a third. Additionally, the Steelers would lose draft capital if they won the bid for Sorsby. Per NFL rules, if a team picks a player in the 2026 supplemental draft, they’ll have to give up that round’s pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The 2027 draft is projected to have an exceptionally strong QB class. Texas’ Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker are among the top quarterback draft prospects.
The Steelers have a legacy of becoming winners and upholding high standards for staff and their players. While there’s no denying that the ex-Hoosier has talent, the team risks tarnishing its legacy if they select him. The Steelers already have four quarterbacks heading into this season. They don’t need a fifth. With plenty of talent to choose from, the Steelers have options for finding their next potential franchise QB in next year’s NFL Draft. In my opinion, the team should wait until 2027 to draft a QB.
