The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been known for sticking to a clear identity and it’s been part of the franchise for years. But not everyone thinks that approach still works in today’s game. Critics, including Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd, argue that the team’s philosophy on building a roster has started to feel outdated. Even Charlie Batch, a longtime former backup quarterback for the Steelers, shares that view.

“When you look at all the money on the defensive side of the ball,” said the former Steelers quarterback, Charlie Batch, on a recent episode of the Snap Count podcast. “And again, trying to play ball control on the offensive side of the ball, that formula just didn’t work, and that’s why you see multiple coordinators and offense become stale.”

Mike McCarthy and Co. rely heavily on their defense, spending significant money on that unit. While it doesn’t qualify as a weakness, this approach often overlooks the production of offense. That creates an unfair imbalance. Take the linebacker T.J. Watt, for example, whose cap hit is $42 million this season, while another linebacker, Alex Highsmith, is set to get $20.1 million, closely followed by Jalen Ramsey and Patrick Queen, with each set to get over $17 million.

In contrast, there is a drastic pay gap between the top offensive players of the Yellow and Black. Their most expensive offensive star is D.K. Metcalf, whose cap hit is $31 million this season, and he is linked to being traded this season.

The next in line is the tight end, Pat Freiemuth, whose pay is about $20 million less than Metcalf’s at $11.2 million. The Steelers are even more reluctant to bring a high-value quarterback, as they paid Aaron Rodgers $13 million last season.

While a strong defense is necessary, if an offense can’t score over 30 points consistently, it can’t carry a team, per Charlie Batch. Moreover, their offense plays it safe, depending on the outdated ball control plan by running the ball and avoiding critical mistakes. In the modern era of the NFL, an offense is required to follow an aggressive football style with a brilliant passing game, which almost all top teams follow.

Batch also believes that the franchise is still living in the past when they won championships, trusting in solid defense. However, the modern game has transitioned to offensive fireworks, which is why the franchise hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 2009.

The traditional Mike McCarthy playing style is quarterback-centric and short-passing games. However, after arriving in Pittsburgh, he is seemingly following the organization’s old-school approach, as he has yet to land an impactful offensive star amid talks with Aaron Rodgers for his return to the 22nd season.

Mixed signals leave Mike McCarthy without a clear quarterback plan

Whereas most NFL teams are set with the quarterback position, including having a preferred pick from the 2026 NFL Draft, the situation looks entirely different for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unless they pick a rookie QB from the draft, they have to either go for Will Howard or rely on the pending decision for Aaron Rodgers. Charlie Batch addressed the issue in the same podcast.

“Right now, you are getting mixed signals from the organization,” Batch said. “They love Will Howard; they have no problem with moving forward with him, but also they are waiting for Aaron Rodgers, things we talked about over the last couple of weeks. The quarterback position isn’t a needed position. Could they use it as a development? Yes, it’s possible because they have 12 picks.”

Mike McCarthy likes playing quarterback-centric games, but having no certain starting signal caller puts him in a dilemma. However, he previously had praise for Will Howard, calling him a “real prospect as a starting quarterback,” even though the 24-year-old hasn’t made his NFL debut yet.

Even though the Steelers have 12 draft picks this year, the QB position hasn’t been a topic of discussion, falling back to the old-school philosophy of prioritizing the defense over the offense, which may lead to another disappointing season.