Steelers insider reveals why Mike Tomlin passed on Shedeur Sanders as surprise $300m Aaron Rodgers alternative emerges
Shedeur Sanders has dominated conversations coming out of the 2025 NFL Draft. A few months ago, the quarterback prospect was pegged as a top five pick and a favorite to be selected by the New York Giants third overall. Sanders was once tipped to be a top draft pick, but fell through five roundsGetty But as the draft unfolded last Thursday, the Giants went in another direction and it became clear that — unless another NFL team traded up — Sanders’ best hopes of going in first-round lay with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After all, the team appeared in need of a new quarterback, with just Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on their roster. But with their No. 21 pick, they selected defensive tackle Derrick Harmon instead, and in what has been described as an all-time draft slide, Sanders was taken off the board in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns. That was somewhat surprising, as ahead of the draft, the Steelers were seen as a team in need of a QB. While Aaron Rodgers has long been tipped to arrive, the veteran is yet to confirm his future, and that led to many believing the franchise could try and take Sanders instead. But that didn’t happen, and head coach Mike Tomlin has this week come out to explain Pittsburgh’s draft strategy, revealing he wanted this year’s group to ‘re-establish physicality and big man presence’. While he didn’t directly reference Sanders in his comments, Steelers insider Gerry Dulac has offered further insight, claiming that the team never intended to draft the young signal caller. “I can’t tell you where he was in a pecking order, but I will tell you, despite what all the national people thought, they did not intend to draft him,” Dulac told the Rich Eisen Show. “You know, if he was there in the sixth round, maybe. The people that had him going to the Steelers had him going at 21, that just wasn’t going to happen. “No quarterback was going at 21. That includes Jaxson Dart, who they did have a first-round grade on. The Steelers selected defensive tackle Harmon with their first-round pickGetty Sanders, meanwhile, was taken as the 144th overall pick by the BrownsGetty “And you could see how many times they passed on him, if they were going to take him, they would have tried to take him in the fourth round. “But it wasn’t high on their list.” Dulac went on to explain why Sanders was not even a selection for the Steelers through five rounds. “I can tell you, there were other quarterbacks they were more interested in, in the middle to late rounds,” he continued. “They liked Jaxson Dart, but he went. They had other quarterbacks in the middle of the round that they thought they might be interested in. “But quarterback was not going to be a priority. They are all in, in 2026, on moving up and trying to get what they believe to be their next franchise quarterback.” The Steelers are said to be all in on drafting a QB in 2026Getty Pittsburgh is the most likely landing spot for Rodgers but he is yet to make his final decisionGetty With the Steelers passing on the supposed top stars in this year’s QB class, taking just developmental prospect Will Howard in the sixth round, many expect veteran Rodgers to arrive ahead of the new season. The Super Bowl winner has long been linked with a move to Pittsburgh, and team owner Art Rooney II said last week that confirmation could come soon. But while Tomlin has been made to sweat over Rodgers’ decision, an alternative option has already been cited if he opts against the move. “The Steelers have signaled, and even publicly expressed, their confidence that Rodgers will wind up on their roster,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote this week. “And if he doesn’t, I’d imagine they’d explore a trade for Kirk Cousins. “It’d be pretty surprising if they opened training camp with Mason Rudolph.” Cousins, an NFL veteran himself, has earned $300m across his 13-year career to date. Cousins is expected to be backup for the Falcons next season, opening the door for him to departGetty He had spells with Washington and the Minnesota Vikings, but was most recently benched by the Atlanta Falcons after signing a four-year, $180m contract in 2024. If the Falcons are to head into 2025 with Michael Penix Jr as their starter, which appears to be the case, that could open the door for Cousins to depart. And should Rodgers decide to turn down the Steelers, a different veteran could be leading them next season instead. Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our NFL Facebook page, subscribe to our talkSPORT End Zone YouTube channel for all the offseason news, interviews and more.
Shedeur Sanders has dominated conversations coming out of the 2025 NFL Draft.
A few months ago, the quarterback prospect was pegged as a top five pick and a favorite to be selected by the New York Giants third overall.
But as the draft unfolded last Thursday, the Giants went in another direction and it became clear that — unless another NFL team traded up — Sanders’ best hopes of going in first-round lay with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After all, the team appeared in need of a new quarterback, with just Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on their roster.
But with their No. 21 pick, they selected defensive tackle Derrick Harmon instead, and in what has been described as an all-time draft slide, Sanders was taken off the board in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns.
That was somewhat surprising, as ahead of the draft, the Steelers were seen as a team in need of a QB.
While Aaron Rodgers has long been tipped to arrive, the veteran is yet to confirm his future, and that led to many believing the franchise could try and take Sanders instead.
But that didn’t happen, and head coach Mike Tomlin has this week come out to explain Pittsburgh’s draft strategy, revealing he wanted this year’s group to ‘re-establish physicality and big man presence’.
While he didn’t directly reference Sanders in his comments, Steelers insider Gerry Dulac has offered further insight, claiming that the team never intended to draft the young signal caller.
“I can’t tell you where he was in a pecking order, but I will tell you, despite what all the national people thought, they did not intend to draft him,” Dulac told the Rich Eisen Show.
“You know, if he was there in the sixth round, maybe. The people that had him going to the Steelers had him going at 21, that just wasn’t going to happen.
“No quarterback was going at 21. That includes Jaxson Dart, who they did have a first-round grade on.
“And you could see how many times they passed on him, if they were going to take him, they would have tried to take him in the fourth round.
“But it wasn’t high on their list.”
Dulac went on to explain why Sanders was not even a selection for the Steelers through five rounds.
“I can tell you, there were other quarterbacks they were more interested in, in the middle to late rounds,” he continued.
“They liked Jaxson Dart, but he went. They had other quarterbacks in the middle of the round that they thought they might be interested in.
“But quarterback was not going to be a priority. They are all in, in 2026, on moving up and trying to get what they believe to be their next franchise quarterback.”
With the Steelers passing on the supposed top stars in this year’s QB class, taking just developmental prospect Will Howard in the sixth round, many expect veteran Rodgers to arrive ahead of the new season.
The Super Bowl winner has long been linked with a move to Pittsburgh, and team owner Art Rooney II said last week that confirmation could come soon.
But while Tomlin has been made to sweat over Rodgers’ decision, an alternative option has already been cited if he opts against the move.
“The Steelers have signaled, and even publicly expressed, their confidence that Rodgers will wind up on their roster,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote this week.
“And if he doesn’t, I’d imagine they’d explore a trade for Kirk Cousins.
“It’d be pretty surprising if they opened training camp with Mason Rudolph.”
Cousins, an NFL veteran himself, has earned $300m across his 13-year career to date.
He had spells with Washington and the Minnesota Vikings, but was most recently benched by the Atlanta Falcons after signing a four-year, $180m contract in 2024.
If the Falcons are to head into 2025 with Michael Penix Jr as their starter, which appears to be the case, that could open the door for Cousins to depart.
And should Rodgers decide to turn down the Steelers, a different veteran could be leading them next season instead.
Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our NFL Facebook page, subscribe to our talkSPORT End Zone YouTube channel for all the offseason news, interviews and more.
