Mike Tomlin's Steelers send a clear message explaining why Pittsburgh didn't choose Shedeur Sanders in 2025 Draft (2025)

Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers had no doubts. Derrick Harmon was the best man available with the 21st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, so they decided to draft the defensive tackle over Shedeur Sanders. Although the team received calls about a trade, general manager Omar Khan explained that they couldn’t pass on the Oregon star.

“I mean, obviously you do (get calls). We were working the phones several picks before ours and you listen. You have to. We owe it to ourselves to listen and you don’t know how it’s gonna shake out when you’re five or six picks ahead and you obviously listen and you weigh things. But at the end of the day, he was just one of those players we were not gonna trade away from. The phone was ringing and we had some serious conversations, but at the end of the day, you know, once Derrick was still there, we were excited and it was an easy choice for us.”

Considering that Aaron Rodgers hasn’t made a final decision, many experts were projecting the Steelers to go for a quarterback in the first round. However, they chose to strengthen the defense instead, potentially finding Cam Heyward’s successor.

Who will be Steelers starting quarterback in 2025?

Right now, Mason Rudolph is the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t sign with the team, Mike Tomlin seems comfortable with this option after the first round of the draft.

Omar Khan admitted that there are still many good players available and they could address the quarterback position on Day 2. What’s certain is that Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart were not ranked above Derrick Harmon on their board. “You know we were on the clock, we got the player that we wanted.”

Miguel Angel Fernandez Castro is a sports writer and analyst at Bolavip US, specializing in NFL, MLB, NBA, College Football, Soccer, Tennis, and Golf. With over 15 years of experience, he has served as a broadcaster, commentator, and reporter at Grupo ACIR Radio in Mexico, covering major global events such as the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, FIFA Confederations Cup, World Baseball Classic, Pan American Games, PGA Tour, and ATP Tour. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.