Latest report further proves Steelers owner Art Rooney can't get out of his own way when it comes to quarterback decisions
Art Rooney II is generally known as one of the better owners in the NFL. The president of a franchise that is known for having their act together and being one of the more stable units in the league, for the most part, Art Rooney has done a great job with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But […]
Art Rooney II is generally known as one of the better owners in the NFL.
The president of a franchise that is known for having their act together and being one of the more stable units in the league, for the most part, Art Rooney has done a great job with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But in recent years, he started to do what all front office members and coaches can't stand…
Meddle.
And he seems to be doing it again regarding the QB position in Pittsburgh…
Art Rooney II reportedly prefers Russell Wilson over Justin Fields
“The people at the top of the organization that might make the ultimate decisions are No. 3 fans over No. 2 fans,” Kaboly told 93.7 The Fan. “I heard that maybe Art is more in favor of Russ than maybe the rest. Now who has last call on this? I don’t know. I don’t think Art would stick his nose in and say, ‘We are taking Russ and forget about it, but I think that they made it crystal clear, at least Art did, to me, and I do believe him on this one. They wanna bring one of them back and I think it’s going to depend on which option they have.”
Here's the problem. It's become clear that many inside the Steelers building prefer Justin Fields regarding the two QBs who started games in 2024. And even if Rooney was one of them, he would be better off keeping that to himself. It's not the fact that he likes Russell Wilson over Justin Fields, it's the fact that he's giving enough input on the matter that reports like Kaboly's can surface.
And yes, I know he's the owner of the team. I know his family has run the organization since the franchise was conceived. But the best owners in the league aren't involved in day-to-day operations. And frankly, you think Rooney would have learned about sticking his nose into QB plans after the Kenny Pickett debacle.
But in the end, maybe Rooney's just sharing his honest opinion, and all he really knows is what he shared regarding the number of QBs returning in 2024. But as people and more specifically NFL owners get older and hold onto their power, they tend to not want to relinquish it.
So if after all the hearsay that has pointed to a Justin Fields return, turns out to result in Russell Wilson under center in 2025, you now know why.
