Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger proposed a two-year quarterback strategy for the team during a recent appearance on the Deebo & Joe podcast. He urged patience with free agent Aaron Rodgers while suggesting Josh Dobbs as a veteran backup and Will Howard as starter if Rodgers departs. Roethlisberger predicted Rodgers would return for another season.
Ben Roethlisberger, the two-time Super Bowl champion who retired after the 2021 season, shared his vision for the Steelers' quarterback position amid uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, who guided Pittsburgh to the AFC North title last season, became a free agent and has yet to decide on a return for 2026. Roethlisberger advocated waiting for Rodgers' choice before the NFL draft, stating, 'There's a lot of factors involved with this whole thing. I would think and hope that Aaron would give a decision by the draft.' Should Rodgers retire, the roster would feature only Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. Roethlisberger recommended signing Josh Dobbs, recently released by New England, as a veteran presence. Dobbs, a fourth-round Steelers pick in 2017, spent five of his first six seasons in Pittsburgh alongside Roethlisberger and is known for quickly mastering playbooks, thanks to his aerospace engineering background from Tennessee and NASA experience. 'I'd love to bring a veteran guy in like Dobbs, who's been here,' Roethlisberger said. He envisioned Dobbs backing up Howard, a sixth-round 2025 draft pick from Ohio State who saw no action as a rookie. 'I'm a big Will Howard fan. I'd love to give Will Howard a chance,' Roethlisberger added, proposing the team build around Howard for two years before reassessing. He cautioned against an early draft pick on a quarterback, favoring team construction first. Roethlisberger, who joined a ready-made Steelers roster in 2004, emphasized, 'I think you should build a team and plug a quarterback into it.' Despite contingencies, he forecasted Rodgers' return, citing offseason additions like free agent Rico Dowdle, a trade for Michael Pittman, and coach Mike McCarthy's presence: 'Deep down, I feel like Aaron's going to play.'
