What’s worse than needing a franchise quarterback? Watching two rivals have the chance to draft him right before you’re on the clock. That’s the potential reality facing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mike McCarthy’s hiring fixed one major problem for the franchise, but the biggest one, finding a long-term successor to Aaron Rodgers, is about to get a lot more complicated.

The Steelers are staring down a serious quarterback conundrum. With Rodgers’ return still under a cloud, Alabama gunslinger Ty Simpson is widely pegged as the ideal fit for the Steel City come March.

However, sitting at the 21st overall pick puts the defending AFC North champions in a precarious spot. They face intense competition from quarterback-needy teams picking just ahead of them in the 2026 draft.

“The Jets are one. If they’re sitting there at 16, is Ty Simpson getting past them there?” NFL insider Tom Pelissero speculated during his appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.

“How about the Rams? Even with Matthew Stafford coming back, they own the number 13 pick,” Pelissero added. “If you’ve got a guy that you can develop for a year or two… I wouldn’t rule out something like that either.”

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At this stage of the new league year, the New York Jets are in dire need of a quarterback, as their experience with quarterback Justin Fields didn’t work out well over the 2025 season. The Jets finished at the bottom of the AFC East with a disappointing 3-14 record, as Fields had 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception in nine games.

Which is why acquiring a rookie like Simpson with the 16th pick, who completed 305 of 473 passes (a completion rate of 64.5 percent) for 3,567 yards while throwing 28 touchdowns, could emerge as a possible solution for their quarterback woes. This is especially true considering the performance he had against Oklahoma in the first round of the playoffs, throwing two touchdowns to help the Crimson Tide advance to the quarterfinals.

On a critical fourth-and-three in the second quarter, Simpson found freshman receiver Lotzeir Brooks for a 10-yard strike, breaking a tackle to reach the end zone. He later launched a 30-yard bomb to Brooks early in the third quarter to secure the lead.

While the New York Jets remain an option, Simpson could also find a place on the Los Angeles Rams after their NFC Championship game loss against the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks. Their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, produced an incredible performance as he was named the NFL MVP for his 4,707 passing yards and a career-high 46 touchdowns.

Stafford achieved this with only eight interceptions, while ranking second in passer rating (109.2) and leading the league in first downs (236).

However, at age 38, his days in the league are numbered.

The LA front office could opt to draft Simpson with the 13th overall pick and allow him to develop under Stafford until the veteran signal-caller hangs up his boots.

As it appears, the Pittsburgh Steelers could face some tough competition to draft Simpson. This, in turn, could emerge as a good thing for the franchise, as an NFL expert has urged McCarthy and Co. to look the other way from the Alabama signal-caller.

Steelers warned about drafting Ty Simpson

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still unsure about their quarterback of the future. The franchise brought in four-time MVP Rodgers as another stopgap solution for the 2025 season.

But ahead of the 2026 draft, Simpson has emerged as a top prospect for the Steel City, as per radio host Andrew Fillipponi.

However, NFL analyst Sam Monson has warned the Pittsburgh front office against taking this step during a recent episode of the Check The Mic podcast.

“Not only does he only have 15 starts under his belt, but the direction of travel is downwards,” Monson said. “Everything about him screams giant red flag.”

Monson continued: “I think I would be in the category of ‘I’m letting someone else make that mistake’ type of pick.”

With these comments, Monson highlighted Ty Simpson’s injury as a major red flag.

Simpson suffered a fractured rib during the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl against Indiana, forcing him to exit the game.

While scrambling for a first down, Simpson took a brutal helmet-to-torso hit from Indiana defensive back D’Angelo Ponds. The violent collision caused a fumble and cracked his rib, ultimately forcing him to pull himself from the game in the third quarter.

While the young quarterback appears to be fit ahead of the 2026 NFL draft, his experience of only 15 games at the college level remains a concern. Hence, picking Simpson in the first round could very well be a massive gamble for the Pittsburgh Steelers.