Steelers urged to replace Aaron Rodgers with 28-TD SEC star

The Pittsburgh Steelers have some big questions to answer after another disappointing season in 2025. 

Head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after leading the team for almost two decades, and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is headed for free agency. 

The team will clearly have a new head coach, but it remains to be seen what will happen with Rodgers. The future Hall of Famer is thought to be tied with Tomlin, though, and may not have any desire to stick around with a new coach. 

Jacob Infante of PFSN recently published a new mock draft after learning that star Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is returning to school. Moore not entering the draft means this quarterback class is even thinner, but there could still be some nice options. 

Infante predicts that the Steelers will select Alabama passer Ty Simpson with the 21st pick. Simpson decided to enter the draft despite receiving significant offers to stay in college. 

Regarding this pick, Infante offered the following: 

Ty Simpson is only a one-year starter in college, but he’s pretty advanced given his limited playing time. A backup to Jalen Milroe last year, Simpson isn’t quite as athletic or has as strong an arm as his predecessor, but he’s a much more polished passer.

He identifies soft spots in zone coverage well and exploits them accordingly. He does a good job of finding the open man, and he’s an accurate thrower of the football.

As Infante mentioned, Simpson only started for one season in college, but he performed well in the tough SEC. He's not an elite athlete or arm talent, but he has a high football IQ and is exceptionally accurate. 

In 15 games in 2024, Simpson threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and just five interceptions. The quarterback led the SEC in pass attempts and completions, showing he's not afraid to air it out. 

In Pittsburgh, Simpson would have the luxury of playing behind a solid offensive line and would have an elite wide receiver target in D.K. Metcalf to throw to. 

Of course, much of the team's draft strategy will likely depend on who the next head coach is. If an offensive-minded coach is brought in, don't be surprised to see the team hunt for a quarterback early in the draft. 

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