The 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers Pre-Preseason Review

For the Steelers, the 2024 season ended with a thud.

The kind of thud that a boxer’s head makes when it hits the canvas.

At least, that’s what it felt like from my perspective, watching the Black and Gold take a purple, black, and blue beating at the hands of the archrival Ravens. Watching the Steelers get “out-Steelered” wasn’t something that I had seen in quite some time, and the haunting last images of Derek Henry busting through the Steelers Defensive Line kept replaying in my head throughout the offseason.

Not only that, after seeing such a loss, there were many questions about the team into the NFL offseason…

… ‘Was it time for Coach Tomlin to step down?’…

… ‘Who was going to play QB?’…

… ‘Is TJ going to get an extension?’…

… ‘How is Coach Tomlin going to deal with the George Pickens drama?’…

… ‘How will Omar Khan attack Free Agency with an obvious hole at Wide Receiver 2?’…

… ‘Are the Steelers in position to jump and get a QB… this year?’…

… Little did we the fans know just what we were in for this offseason.

Could you imagine trying to explain the moves General Manager Omar Khan made to your grandfather? Let’s go back and remember just where the Steelers were, just a short time ago in March.

The Steelers opened Free Agency with a bang, getting Cornerback Darius Slay to pair with Joey Porter Jr. Don’t sleep on Brandon Echols either, he could be the answer to the Slot Cornerback position the Secondary has been looking for since Mike Hilton left for Cincinnati. Kenneth Gainwell as a change-of-pace back is an underrated addition to the RB room.

Then, Omar Khan signed stud Wide Receiver DK Metcalf to the highest value contract in Steelers history. In doing so, the Wide Receiver 2 question was answered with a resounding CHECK! Only a couple days into free agency and the Steelers are making some big moves!

The next day, the Steelers paired their new Ferrari Wide Receivers with a base model Ford F-150 Quarterback, signing Mason Rudolph back from a year in purgatory in Tennessee. Not exactly who Steelers fans thought would be the prized QB signing, but at least he was warmly received by the Black and Gold faithful. And truth be told, there are some fans that would be completely fine if the Steelers had to ride it out with Mason Rudolph as the QB for an entire season. At least he has some great WR’s to throw to.

THEN came the Steelers Free Agency moves we fans all know and love. The one’s your grandfather would CLEARLY remember the Steelers making.

… signed Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek, Isaiah Loudermilk, James Pierre, Jeremiah Moon all to contracts at the back end of the Free Agency frenzy…

… same ‘ol, same ‘ol backup depth re-treads…

… Well, at least we Steelers fans could look forward to the Draft, even if we did have a semi-big question mark at QB…

Were the Steelers going to pick a QB in the 1st Round of the Draft?

That was the question, along with many others, that rattled around Steelers Nation for days leading up to the NFL Draft. There were holes to be filled everywhere with this team, and the consensus around the Club was that the eye of the QB prize was NOT in the 2025 Draft, but the 2026 Draft. This would seemingly necessitate a different approach to what positions and players the Steelers would select. Not to mention that the trade for DK Metcalf left the Steelers without a 2nd Round pick.

In the end, the Steelers drafted like the Steelers tend to draft, and got a Steelers type player at a position of need, selecting Defensive Tackle Derrick Harmon.

Harmon’s draft story is extremely touching, and showed exactly the type of character the Steelers hope to have, but rarely get a chance to see out of players before they take a snap in the Black and Gold.

So now that the Steelers have addressed a pressing need with a Defensive Lineman in Round 1, then traded their 2nd Round pick to Seattle for DK Metcalf, where do the Steelers go in Round 3? Sheduer Sanders is still falling, surely the Steelers are going to take him if he’s still there in Round 3?!?

Of COURSE not! They take Najee Harris’s replacement in Running Back Kaleb Johnson, much to the golf clap approval of the majority here at Steel Curtain Network.

The Steelers waited ALLLLLLLLLLLL the way to the 6th Round to take their future starting franchise Quarterback, out of the Ohio State University, national champion signal caller Will Howard.

“Will Howard is going to take us to the promised land!” chants echoed through the interwebs halls of the most delusional of Steelers fans.

Even though the 2025 NFL Draft was by most standards, a VERY good Draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers, something was still missing. The selection of Will Howard was NOT the problem. The Steelers needed another Quarterback since it was just Mason and practice squad guy Skylar Thompson. It was the fact that the Steelers waited until the 6th Round to take a guy who clearly, the expectations are that he NOT step in Day 1 as an NFL franchise signal caller, when the Steelers still very much NEEDED a guy who COULD be.

It seemed that the approach to the QB situation was now becoming concerning, and that maybe Omar Khan didn’t have an ace up his sleeve. There were whispers of Aaron Rodgers coming to the team, but nothing was official. Little did we Steelers fans know that there were still more fireworks to come this offseason, and none of them had to do with Rodgers.

(An overheard conversation at the local watering hole)

“…They traded him for WHAT?!?!”

” Yeah, they traded George Pickens to the Cowboys for a Chipped Ham sandwich and an IC Light…”

“… Well, NOW what do they do about Wide Receiver 2?…”

” What do you mean?!? Who’s going to be throwing them the ball?…”

“… At least the defense is going to be good”

” You better hope TJ Watt doesn’t hold out…”

And then it happened. The worst kept secret in all of NFL Free Agency history finally came out of his “darkness” and announced that he would sign with the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers finally saw the light and signed a contract to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, with the addition of Rodgers, the team felt like it was complete, and not only that, the roster was actually built to compete, not only this year, but for the next couple of years. Omar Santa Khan had delivered one last present to the team. A focused, humble, and driven Rodgers, like none around the League had really ever seen before.

That was it. Rodgers signing was the last piece. The weeks the fans had of waiting with baited breath could finally exhale. The excitement for the season was now palpable.

With Rodgers, it felt as though the Steelers had a legitimate chance to make some noise in the AFC Playoffs. The Defense was expected to be great, the Offense can now hold it own and has a new Running Back for Arthur Smith’s scheme, which also signed it’s 48th and 49th different Tight Ends to the team with DJ Thomas Jones and Brett Keisel Award Nominee JJ Galbreath from the Practice Squad.

Times are good! Hope springs eternal! The Steelers are going 17-0!!! LET’S GO STEELERS!!!!

Oh, wait! Deshon Elliot gets a new contract as well?!? Heck yeah, he was GREAT last year!!! How does Omar Khan keep doing this!?!?

(cue the Infomercial…)

“But wait… that’s not all!!!”

The Khan-father then surprised us all with a massive fireworks finale none of us saw coming.

Less than a week after Deshon Elliot gets his new contract, Omar Khan pulls off yet another blockbuster trade, sending Minkah Fitzpatrick back to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Tight End Jonnu Smith, along with some late round picks.

Jonnu Smith makes Omar Khan’s 50th Tight End acquired this offseason, if you’re still counting.

So here we are, back to the present. Training Camp has started, and this team looks nothing like it did just 3 short months ago.

Khan and Assistant GM Andy Weidl continue to put their stamp on this team by operating in ways that would make your grandmother blush and your grandfather bristle.

I think it’s fair to say that this team looks better than it did 3 months ago, and I sure didn’t see this type of approach to changing the roster like Khan and Weidl have taken. I am much more optimistic about this team, and have a much different outlook than I did even a few weeks ago.

Oh, by the way, TJ Watt DID get his well deserved extension too. Gordon Ramsey better watch out, because Omar Khan is just COOKING!

Which leaves about the only question left of the offseason: Who is going to start at WR2 opposite DK Metcalf?

Did you have THAT question on your 2025 Steelers Bingo Card?

After all that offseason of craziness, which seems to be becoming a norm under Omar Khan, now Training Camp is finally here.

A hundred men vying to be part of a special team for just one season. Only a select few get to call themselves players of an NFL Club. For all the TJ Watts that play for several seasons, some of these guys know this may be their ONLY shot to be part of a special brotherhood of NFL players. To be able to call themselves “Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Training Camp is where the journey of hopes and dreams begins…

… The chase for Super Bowl Number 7…

Ladies and Gents, the NFL offseason is now over.

A new season has begun.

It’s time for football.

Let’s Go Steelers!!!