Regardless of whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers at some point this offseason, quarterback will be a top priority in the 2026 NFL draft. With all due respect to rookie Will Howard, selecting him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft will not preclude Pittsburgh from spending a top pick next year.

"Their sustained success for over a decade here -- Coach Tomlin's never had a losing season," North said. "The Steelers are always playoff-relevant late down the stretch, and they have a national fan base, so their body of work is what warranted the national television exposure for them, same as probably in previous years."

The Cleveland Browns have added four quarterbacks this offseason, including former Steelers signal caller Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and 2025 draft picks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, but have yet to settle on a QB1 to step in for an injured Deshaun Watson.