“Thank you, Ben!” That message echoed all across the stadium in Pittsburgh during Ben Roethlisberger‘s final game in 2022. And honestly, how could it not? The man gave everything to the city. Two Super Bowl titles. Six Pro Bowl selections. Two-time passing yards leader. Offensive Rookie of the Year back in 2004. Over 64,000 passing yards, fifth all-time, and 418 touchdown passes, ranking eighth in league history. Ben wasn’t just great, he was one of a kind. And to this day, Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are still searching for someone who can fill those shoes… or even come close.

In this year’s NFL Draft, Mike Tomlin and the Steelers picked Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round at No. 185 overall. Sure, the kid’s got time to prove himself—but right now, the team’s focused on chasing playoff hopes and maybe even a Super Bowl run, which feels like a stretch. For the moment, Tomlin brought back Mason Rudolph and is reportedly eyeing Aaron Rodgers. But not everyone’s on board with that plan. Former NFL player Ryan Clark called out the move, slamming Tomlin for making decisions regarding a QB that doesn’t quite match what fans expect from a team like Pittsburgh.

During a new Get Up episode, as shared by Andrew Fillipponi on X, “Steelers Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark on the 2025 Steelers” said, “They should want to lose. They should want to s—.” The ex-safety gave a “very compelling argument for ending this run high end mediocrity.” He said, “I mean, they should want to lose like being and I know this goes against everything that’s black and yellow, but they’ve been a competitive team for the entire time that Mike Tomlin’s been there. But since Ben Roethlisberger got to like the last two or three years of his career, they were not a championship contender, right? And they played just well enough to never get a high enough pick to go get the next Ben Roethlisberger. You’re not going to find that dude and free agency either.”

So, the Steelers are stuck in the middle. Playing just well enough to miss the playoffs or get bounced early, but never bad enough to land a high draft pick. That means no chance at a top-tier quarterback. Hence, Clark made it clear that Tomlin needs to ditch Aaron Rodgers, whom they are planning to bring into their roster. It’s because whether it’s Mason Rudolph or even Rodgers, neither is the long-term answer. He believes “they should want to get a top 10 pick in a quarterback draft that looks to be a lot better next year than the one that there was this year.”

All in all, it’s time for Pittsburgh to embrace the struggle, tank if they have to, and aim for a top-10 pick in next year’s draft. Because that’s where the real chance at finding the next franchise QB lies. And that’s not only Clark’s opinion. Even Big Ben wants the Steelers to work better in the offseason and stop waiting for Aaron Rodgers.

Ben Roethlisberger has some advice for Mike Tomlin’s Steelers!

Ben Roethlisberger has seen enough. He’s done waiting on Aaron Rodgers. Hence, on his Footbahlin podcast, when asked how long the Steelers should hold out hope, Big Ben didn’t hesitate. He said it might be time to move on. In addition, Big Ben questioned something that’s hard to ignore—does Aaron even want to play? He said, “I don’t know what that looks like, to be honest with you. I truly don’t. At some point, you have to say, ‘What’s best for our team is to just probably move on.’ And that might sound crazy because it’s Aaron Rodgers, but at some point you start to question, ‘Does Aaron really want to play’?”

Rodgers has been working out with DK Metcalf and letting the world know about it. Yet, he still hasn’t signed. That’s what bugs Roethlisberger. If you’re throwing with the guys, hyping it up, why not put pen to paper? What’s the holdup? Is he waiting for more money? A better offer? Whatever it is, it’s starting to wear thin. Steelers owner Art Rooney II has said they keep hearing Rodgers is “headed their way.” But Ben doesn’t sound convinced anymore. And with OTAs creeping up and GM Omar Khan promising four QBs by training camp, the team needs answers—not more silence.

For now, it’s Mason Rudolph. Rookie Will Howard is in the mix, too. And Ben Roethlisberger has some advice for him—play free with no pressure. He said, “He needs to understand, and I would tell him this: you don’t have pressure, bud. You are a sixth-rounder, there is no pressure. He should go into this season with the mentality of ‘I can play free, I have no pressure’.”

The Steelers haven’t had a QB like Ben Roethlisberger since he left. Maybe they find that spark in Howard. Or maybe not. But one thing’s clear: Mike Tomlin’s team can’t keep waiting around for a guy who might not want to suit up.