Steelers Now
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement after 11 seasons on Saturday. Carr’s career ended early as a result of a right shoulder injury.
With Carr retired, the Saints’ quarterback room now features rookie Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. CBS Sports recently tabbed the Pittsburgh Steelers with the worst quarterbacks room in the NFL, but the Saints’ crops of QBs might be worse now without Carr. The Saints previously were ranked with the seventh-worst QBs room. The Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans and New York Jets were right behind the Steelers on the list.
The Steelers are still waiting on Aaron Rodgers’ looming decision. However, with Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson and Will Howard as the current trio, it’s hard to disagree with CBS Sports’ assessment.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have the worst quarterback room in the entire NFL after completely turning over at the position in each of the last two years,” Garrett Podell of CBS Sports wrote. “Mason Rudolph, a third-round pick of the Steelers in 2018, returns home after a year away with the Tennessee Titans in 2024. He threw nine touchdowns and nine interceptions across eight played last season, which included five starts.
“Skylar Thompson comes to the Steelers after three seasons as Tua Tagovailoa’s backup with the Miami Dolphins. He has one passing touchdowns and three interceptions in 10 games played, including three starts. The rookie in the room is Will Howard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after helping lead Ohio State to a national championship in his fifth season of college football.”
With Derek Carr announcing his retirement from the NFL, here’s a look at the #Saints QB room ⬇️
(📸 via @Saints) pic.twitter.com/baJ6gYVGQs
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) May 10, 2025
Podell projects that Will Howard will be the Steelers’ Week 1 starter, unless Rodgers comes to town.
“Head coach Mike Tomlin ends up uninspired by both Rudolph and Thompson, which leads to Howard seizing the job after continuing the growth he showed as a passer as a Buckeye. That is unless Aaron Rodgers joins the team after visiting the team’s facility earlier in the offseason,” Podell wrote.
Rudolph, 29, was selected with the No. 76 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He spent the first six years of his career in Pittsburgh before joining the Tennessee Titans in 2024.
Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth gave Rudolph a ringing endorsement during an interview on the Kaboly + Mack podcast last month.
“As guys on the team, we have all the belief in Mason,” Freiermuth said. “You know he made some big plays when he was here last, winning three straight games to make the playoffs. Whatever happens, happens, but we will see.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also expressed at the NFL owner’s meetings that he is confident in Rudolph’s abilities if he ends up being the starter.
“We’re optimistic about the room that we’re constructing....
