Mike Tomlin withheld information on QB battle, but a report a year ago told us who would start in 2022
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told The Athletic recently that he purposefully withheld information about the team's quarterback battle this summer. “You are exactly right, and that was intentional,” said Tomlin about not revealing the Steelers' starting quarterback sooner. “You guys weren’t asking me about the guard battle every day or the inside linebacker […]
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told The Athletic recently that he purposefully withheld information about the team's quarterback battle this summer.
“You are exactly right, and that was intentional,” said Tomlin about not revealing the Steelers' starting quarterback sooner. “You guys weren’t asking me about the guard battle every day or the inside linebacker battle every day, so I tried to treat it as such. I wasn’t about to feed the beast.”
That comment from Tomlin certainly doesn't come as a surprise — most folks assumed that's what he was doing by not naming Mitch Trubisky the starter until a week before the season opener.
But what everyone seemingly missed was that we found out a year ago — well before the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett or signed Mitch Trubisky — who would be starting this season.
Tomlin told Fox Sports' Jay Glazer last fall that he had no desire to start over with a rookie quarterback.
"When Ben Roethlisberger, it's time for him to move on, Mike Tomlin has told me this, he doesn't want to start over with a rookie," said Glazer. "The Steelers are going to want to go with someone who's a veteran."
At the time, there was speculation that Pittsburgh could pursue Aaron Rodgers.
That obviously didn't end up being the case. But still, Glazer's report essentially told us a year ago that Trubisky would be the guy in 2022.
So while Tomlin thought he was being coy, the answer was out there all along. We just all missed it.
Featured image via Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
