Following an abysmal performance headlined by weather delays and injuries this Sunday, Dec. 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Steelers front office had a lot to discuss—including what to do with the most important position in football, their quarterback.
Second-year starter Kenny Pickett left the Cardinals game due to an ankle injury and did not return to action, other than helping call plays in a boot from the sidelines. Replacing him was Mitch Trubisky, a veteran that is also the highest-paid backup QB in the entire NFL.
His performance was, simply put, not great. A fumble early in the third quarter set up Arizona within the red zone and allowed for a quick score to extend their lead to 17-3. This was a pivotal moment in the outcome of the game, with the Steelers struggling to gain much traction on offense and the defense being broken down due to how much of the workload they must carry week in a week out.
With their backup not playing up to par and Pickett hurt, the Steelers saw a perfect opportunity to acquire a Pennsylvania legend in former Penn State Nittany Lion Trace McSorley.
He will compete alongside Mason Rudolph to earn time in the event that Coach Mike Tomlin does decide to move on from Trubisky in the wake of Pickett’s injury. McSorley is a very talented player that saw little professional action but is nonetheless a proven winner and a reliable option at the bare minimum.
During his time as a Nittany Lion, the newest Steeler put his name on the map by ridiculously escaping pressure, rolling out of the pocket and airing it out to one of his incredible receivers. His elusiveness and solid arm make him an ideal candidate to play in a Steelers offense that has lacked the benefit of a mobile quarterback.
While, yes, Pickett is a mobile athlete, his hesitation and indecisiveness make it difficult for him to truly escape pressure. For someone like McSorley, who understands the need to succeed in order to keep their job in the big leagues, this should not be a problem. This was even demonstrated in his lone regular season NFL touchdown, a 70-yard bomb to Marquise Brown against Pittsburgh in 2020.
In a similar way to Minnesota’s Josh Dobbs, McSorley is a player that will always play his heart out in a manner showcased on the field with absurd runs and seemingly-impossible completions. He is an incredibly fun QB to watch and appears to be a spark of joy in an otherwise gloomy week for the Steelers.
Students around Lower Dauphin voiced the same excitement, anticipating the Penn State legend’s return to the NFL.
“I want to see him [actually get a chance] to play,” sophomore Keaton Wagner explained.
Evan Wagner, a senior, was incredibly excited just to see one of his favorite players back on a franchise. “He’s back! Let’s go!”
Though it seems ridiculous that a current third-string QB could truly be the answer to Pittsburgh’s problems, Trace McSorley is a legitimate athlete, as he displayed at Penn State, that could very well shine in the black and gold. Even if this turns out to be nothing more than a mere depth signing, McSorley’s return to Pennsylvania is surely something to keep an eye on considering the Steelers’ constant struggles with the position since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
