Steelers HC Mike Tomlin under fire as Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers decisions spark outrage

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a chance in the 2025 offseason to land free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold. Not everyone was fully sold on Darnold after he resurrected his career in the 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings. Many pundits attributed his success to Kevin O’Connell’s offensive system in Minnesota, leaving questions about whether he could replicate that performance elsewhere. The Steelers faced an uncertain quarterback situation, but head coach Mike Tomlin ultimately chose his longtime favorite, Aaron Rodgers. Although a strong choice as a four-time NFL MVP, the 41-year-old raised concerns about long-term durability.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks acted quickly, signing Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract with $55 million guaranteed. The move put the Steelers’ decision under scrutiny as Darnold demonstrated the potential to be a top-tier starter once again. Analysts and fans began to wonder if Pittsburgh had missed a chance to add a younger quarterback who could provide stability and high-level performance for multiple seasons while the team remained in contention.

Former NFL offensive tackle Jeremiah Sirles later addressed the situation on the "OLine Committee" podcast, highlighting the broader sentiment among teams that passed on Darnold. He suggested that many organizations now regret not pursuing the quarterback more aggressively. At Week 11 of the 2025 season, Darnold has completed 71.1% of his passes for 2,262 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. Whether the Steelers could have convinced Darnold to join them remains unknown, but it never really felt like they were willing to pay that much for the gamble. Perhaps they should have.

"I think everyone right now who had the opportunity to sign Sam Darnold has somewhat of buyer's remorse," Sirles said Thursday on his podcast. "I think everyone who thought, 'Is he or is he not? Can he do it again? Can he string it together,' is watching what Sam Darnold is doing in Seattle and thinking, 'Yeah, we probably could've used that.'"

Sirles makes a good point. The Vikings had already invested a first-round pick in young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, so they couldn’t justify paying Darnold a three-year, $100.5 million contract with $55 million guaranteed.

The Steelers, he noted, did not have the limitation of a recent first-round investment in another quarterback. This raised the question of whether they should have acted decisively to secure Darnold and strengthen their roster for a potential divisional run.

"Pittsburgh was in a different situation. Pittsburgh didn't spend the 11th overall pick, or whatever [J.J.] McCarthy was, on drafting a first-round quarterback. They didn't have that, 'But we did this already' excuse. They should have been more aggressive for Sam Darnold if they truly believed they could win that division."

Steelers' Mike Tomlin chose Aaron Rodgers

Tomlin certainly played a big role in the Steelers’ choice to go all in and get Rodgers. There is no doubt they discussed Darnold, but ultimately, they felt Rodgers was the better option. The Seahawks not only beat the Steelers in the 2025 season, but they are 7-2 and first in the NFC West. Darnold is in the MVP conversation, and the Seahawks are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

The Steelers are 5-4 and first in the AFC North, but Rodgers is coming off arguably the worst game of his career. How Rodgers bounces back will help answer whether this move was the right choice or if the Steelers truly missed an opportunity by passing on Darnold.