ESPN Analyst Urges Pittsburgh Steelers to Tank for Garrett Nussmeier or Arch Manning

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated May 7, 2025 2:05 PM ET

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers will enter the 2025 season with lofty expectations after signing the No. 1 Transfer Portal Class in America.

For the Bayou Bengals, it'll be a unique blend of returning talent and newcomers in Baton Rouge, but all focus will be on the program taking that next step to reach the College Football Player.

It'll be LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at the helm of the offense as he returns for his second season as the starting signal-caller for the purple and gold.

He will look to develop across the next few months after piecing together a 2024 campaign where he totaled 3,738 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games played.

"Garrett's fabulous. I've enjoyed coaching him every year in all his different situations and how he's grown, how he's matured, and just the man he's becoming; who he's becoming not only as a football player but as a person," offensive coordinator Joe Sloan said during Spring Camp.

"Garrett was prepared to play, but then there are certain things that he needed to go through that you can only get prepared for by playing. You can only get the experience by playing. I think he's learned from that."

Now, with the Pittsburgh Steelers trading away key wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday morning, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark believes the organization should tank.

Clark, who won a Super Bowl with the Steelers, believes Pittsburgh should hit the reset button and move forward with either Nussmeier or Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.

“To me, this isn’t a team that’s ready to compete,” Clark said on Get Up. “Which I’m fine with because I felt like you didn’t make a decision to get a quarterback in the draft.

"Maybe your evaluation was that none of them were good enough and that Aaron Rodgers was better, but if you’re gonna suck. Suck all the way. Let’s go get Arch or let’s go get Nussmeier.”

Clark believes the organization should bypass on signing Aaron Rodgers this offseason and draft a signal-caller in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“Let’s get somebody that can really go,” Clark said. “But don’t add more to this team and try to get Aaron Rodgers and be mediocre enough to not pick high.”

Nussmeier and Manning sit atop the 2025 Heisman Trophy odds with all focus on the pair of talented quarterbacks to headline the college football season.