Steelers Shedeur Sanders Decision Named Mike Tomlin’s Worst Ever

Former defensive tackle and current ESPN Radio analyst Chris Canty, who played for the Baltimore Ravens and won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants, is already preparing for the worst when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers and their decision to pass on Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft.

Referencing Pittsburgh's lack of a true starting-caliber starting quarterback as of now, Canty believes Sanders could prove the team foolish for opting not to select him by putting together a strong rookie season with the Cleveland Browns.

"Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have a legitimate starting NFL quarterback on their roster, so it got me to thinking," Canty said on "Unsportsmanlike". "If Shedeur Sanders starts the majority of the games this season in Cleveland, is not drafting him the biggest mistake in the Mike Tomlin era of Steelers football?

"Listen, if the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on Shedeur Sanders and he ends up being the franchise quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, a division rival, that is an absolute embarrassment. That is an embarrassment."

The Steelers were hardly alone in forgoing their chances to pick Sanders, as other quarterback-needy teams like the New Orleans Saints, Giants and even the Browns did so until the latter chose him with the No. 144 overall selection in the fifth round.

Pittsburgh ultimately landed Ohio State's Will Howard in the sixth round, and while it's a small sample size, he appears to be making quite the impression thus far.

The Steelers were commonly linked to Sanders ahead of the draft after hosting him on a top-30 visit, though they focused on other needs with their first several picks.

Their optimism surrounding Aaron Rodgers and the likelihood of signing the four-time MVP certainly played a role in their decision to pass up on choosing a signal caller in the early rounds, perhaps quieting their urgency to land a top-level prospect at the position.

While it's understandable for Canty to have some level of consternation about the state of the group in Pittsburgh at the moment, it's hard to fault the team for passing on Sanders when practically the entire league followed suit.

Maybe Sanders will live up to his previous billing as one of the best players in the class and become the franchise quarterback Cleveland has been looking for, but he faces an uphill battle towards earning the starting or even backup role in 2025 with former Steeler Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel also on the roster.

Pittsburgh may kick itself if Sanders pans out and it is forced to face him twice a year, but there's a long way to go before that outcome materializes.