Steel City Blitz
Why? Why do we put so much time and effort into discussing the third-string quarterback? It’s not unique to the Pittsburgh Steelers either. It just feels that way. In order to get what I’m talking about we have to go back a bit so bear with me.
During the offseason, long before Aaron Rodgers had committed to the Steelers, the only QB that was on the roster was Mason Rudolph. He was either QB1 or QB2. The Steelers needed arms though so they brought in Skylar Thompson. He’s got two seasons of pro football under his belt including three starts.
Then the NFL Draft rolled around. Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin chose Ohio State QB Will Howard in the sixth round. Let me state the key part here – SIXTH ROUND. Many fans of the Black and Gold see that and immediately think Antonio Brown. Some, in a nightmarish way, think Tom Brady. Please, please, please… remember that guys like Brown and Brady are exceptions, not rules. Far more players end up behind desks or bagging groceries from the sixth round than end up being Super Bowl Champions and Hall of Famers.
The reason Howard is different has everything to do with location. Ohio, where he played his final season of college football, borders Pennsylvania where he plays for the Steelers. This proximity matters. Many fans of Ohio State are also fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, many of these fans are unable to be objective. They pull for “their” guy regardless of whether he’s deserving of the spot or not.
Fast forward to today. Will Howard will likely miss the entire preseason. This was his opportunity to play and to demonstrate he could be the team’s number three QB. Since he couldn’t play, Thompson was able to play more than he would have and he played well. As the old saying goes, “you can’t make the club when you’re in the tub.” Thompson’s strong performance added fuel to the fire.
Again I’d like to remind you we are talking about the third-string quarterback position here… Still, Howard is more likely to make the roster than Thompson simply because of his draft status. Fair or not, that’s usually how these things work. We must also keep in mind that we are talking about preseason games. Defenses are typically of the ‘vanilla variety’ and many of the guys on the field will not make active rosters.
That doesn’t matter though to Thompson. He’s fighting for his football career in some ways. He knows he has to play well in order to even have a shot with Pittsburgh. If nothing else, he’s putting out positive tape for other teams.
This entire debate is a lesson for all of us. Learning to be objective is important regardless of where the player went to school or how many kittens he may have rescued from a tree. We have to evaluate the performance and the player, not his “likability.” Perhaps most importantly, we all have...
