What a Potential Return to the Pittsburgh Steelers Could Mean for the ‘Passtronaut’
On Tuesday, March 24th, 2026, former Pittsburgh Steelers Joe Haden and James Harrison were joined by former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on their podcast titled ‘Deebo and Joe.’ The three Steelers greats discussed the 2026 offseason for Pittsburgh, what to expect of Aaron Rodgers' potential return, and predictions for the AFC North. One topic that Roethlisberger brought up was the idea of bringing in a veteran quarterback to serve as a backup if Rodgers decides to retire. While names such as Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, and Jimmy Garoppolo are all current free agents, Roethlisberger believes that the veteran quarterback the Steelers should bring in is Joshua Dobbs. The former 2017 fourth-round draft pick was recently released by the New England Patriots on March 23rd, 2026, after they failed to find a trade partner for him. He spent one year in New England as the backup to Drake Maye. Starting his career in Pittsburgh, Dobbs had two stints in the Steel City before becoming a journeyman, similar to Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Over the two and a half months since the 2025 NFL season ended for the Steelers, many former Steelers, including Roethlisberger, have given their input on the Aaron Rodgers situation. Rod Woodson went on the Rich Eisen Show, and when asked about Rodgers, he said, “Listen, if he’s gonna play, say he’s gonna play, he’s gonna come back. The team shouldn't wait for Rodgers; they need to move forward.” Despite reports that Rodgers was being held back from making his decision due to Pittsburgh’s approach to success, Charlie Batch believes that money is the real issue, stating, “The Steelers would like him to come back, yes, but it’s not going to be at that $13 million number. I’m sure his representatives want something closer to $30 million, and you hope that, somewhere, you meet in the middle.” In the same podcast in which Roethlisberger mentioned that Dobbs could be the veteran presence the Steelers need, he also said, in defense of Rodgers long decision-making process, “There are a lot of factors involved with this whole thing. I would think and hope that Aaron would give a decision by the draft.” He goes on to mention that if Rodgers were to retire, the Steelers should not draft a quarterback unless they “want to try and grab one in the fourth round or somewhere, just to add someone,” despite it being one of their biggest needs.
Roethlisberger explicitly mentions that if the Steelers were to sign Dobbs, he would come in to serve simply as the backup. While the system and coaching staff has changed since Dobbs departure from Pittsburgh, he is a seasoned NFL veteran, knows the environment of Pittsburgh, and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in aerospace engineering; which led to his nickname of ‘Passtronaut’ following a season where he started 12 games, threw for 2,464 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while completing just under 63% of his passes. Roethlisberger believes that second-year quarterback Will Howard will be the Steelers' starter for the 2026 season. Roethlisberger has been vocal about Howard since the Steelers drafted him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, believing he is a “proven winner in college.” Roethlisberger believes that if Rodgers retires, the Steelers should not scratch their heads on what to do, but rather hand the keys of the offense over to Howard. During the podcast, Roethlisberger said, “I’d ride with Will Howard for a couple of years, give him a chance, keep building this team around him. If it doesn’t work out, in two years, the draft is loaded with quarterbacks. Go get a guy in the first round.” Roethlisberger has said what he wants, which is a shared view by many fans. A reunion with Dobbs in Pittsburgh could provide a great veteran presence behind Howard, if he does become the Steelers' starting quarterback.
