Mike Tomlin needs—yeah, it’s come to that—one QB. It’s not about what he wants anymore. Because Pittsburgh has gone from Russell Wilson vs. Justin Fields for QB1 to a Mason Rudolph-led QB room as of now. I mean, Steel City didn’t want that. But just when it looked like the Steelers’ pre-draft prep was rolling along quietly, boom—a false report, a public clapback, and a quarterback visit that might just shape the team’s future. It all happened in one day.

Friday morning started with whispers. 1. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart was in town for a Top-30 visit. 2. The 21-year-old gunslinger, considered one of the top QB prospects in this class, was back at the UPMC Rooney Complex, looking every bit the part of Pittsburgh’s future under center.

Okay, everyone reported this pretty accurately. So, where did Mark Kaboly go wrong? 3. (drama) He claimed head coach Mike Tomlin wasn’t in the building for Dart’s visit. “Mike Tomlin is not expected to be at team facility today for Jaxson Dart meeting, so there is that.” That’s one big bold claim. Ask anyone, and they’d tell you, you need strong sources to write that.

Mark’s got his loyalists. However, when the Steelers’ senior director of communications, Burt Lauten, stepped in and torched the report. Burt replied: “Sources can confirm your sources are inaccurate.” Translation: Don’t throw slants when the defense is sitting on it.

Kevin Adams of the Steel Here podcast summed it up best: “We’ve got a source off.” You don’t often see Steelers brass go full no-huddle rebuttal mode, but hey—misreport Mike Tomlin’s whereabouts during a QB visit, and you’re getting blitzed. Especially when Dart could be the team’s Plan B if Aaron Rodgers decides to ghost the Steelers harder than he did the Jets’ Super Bowl hopes.

Can a Mike Tomlin scheme be the perfect fit for Jaxson Dart?

Let’s talk about Jaxson Dart—yep, the Ole Miss gunslinger with just enough swagger and stats to get Steelers fans talking. The noise started increasing in decibels when Pittsburgh added Dart to their top-30 pre-draft visits. He’s fresh off a college career stacked with over 10,000 passing yards, 72 touchdowns, and enough mobility to rack up another 1,500 on the ground. Impressive? Absolutely. But pump the brakes. The fit? That’s where things get a little dicey.

Here’s where the alarms start blaring: Dart’s closest comp, per an AFC scout? “A less-athletic version of Kenny Pickett.” Oof. That’s like saying we’ve seen this rerun before—and it didn’t end well the first time. “Tough, throws it well enough, no major hole,” the scout added. “But no elite trait.”

Let’s not forget, Mike Tomlin and babysitting rookie QBs is NOT a recipe for a W. That’s a recipe Steel City is yet to see. His blueprint has always been simple: build a nasty defense, add a grown-man quarterback, and go hunting in January. Ben Roethlisberger fit that mold. Kenny Pickett? Not so much. The Steelers tried the homegrown route, and it landed them in QB limbo. So unless Dart comes in with a cape and playbook magic, it’s hard to imagine Tomlin straying from the formula.

Mel Kiper even said, “If Dart is there (at No. 21), I say yeah, but I don’t think he will be.” And Daniel Jeremiah had Pittsburgh taking him in his mock draft, too. But if you’re going to roll the dice at 21, shouldn’t it be on a guy who’s undeniably different? Especially when your current QB plan includes a maybe-Aaron Rodgers and a re-signed Mason Rudolph?

So here’s the question—are the Steelers really ready to double down on a Pickett-type project in a Mike Tomlin world? Or would drafting Dart just be running the same play out of the same broken formation? If you’re looking for fireworks, it might be time to call an audible.