The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
MIKE POWELL FROM UNIVERSAL CITY, CA: Kordell Stewart had an enigmatic career with the Steelers. He had 2 tremendous seasons, 1997 and 2001. Then he lost his starting job not long after each. He showed flashes of being an unstoppable force. Do you have thoughts on why he wasn't able to fully realize his enormous potential?
ANSWER: It's my opinion that the NFL wasn't ready for dual-threat quarterbacks in general and the Steelers didn't do a good job of adjusting their thinking to accommodate one in particular. After coming to the Steelers as a No. 2 pick in the 1995 NFL Draft and spending a couple of seasons as 'slash,' Kordell Stewart became the fulltime starter in 1997. That season, Stewart completed 53.6 percent of his passes for 3,020 yards, with 21 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, and a rating of 75.2. He also rushed for 476 yards on 88 carries (5.4 average, and a long gain of 74 yards) plus 11 more touchdowns, and the Steelers won the AFC Central and were the No. 2 seed in the AFC with an 11-5 record. But by NFL standards, his completion percentage and touchdown-to-interception ratio were marginal even though his 3,496 combined yardage and 32 total touchdowns made him a dynamic player.
After the 1997 season, Coach Bill Cowher made a couple of offensive coordinator hires that turned out badly for the team and did nothing to develop Stewart's skill-set. In fact, coordinators Ray Sherman (1998) and Kevin Gilbride (1999-2000) both seemed more interested in turning Stewart into a traditional pocket passer than developing what he did best.
When Cowher promoted tight ends coach Mike Mularkey from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator in 2001, it coincided with the depth chart at QB having changed from Mike Tomczak and Kent Graham to second-year pro Tee Martin and XFL-refugee Tommy Maddox. Stewart clearly was the best player there, and since the Steelers planned to rely on a punishing running game and a dynamic defense that season there wasn't going to be constant pressure on the quarterback to make all of the decisive plays.
After a bad loss in Jacksonville in the opener and the ramifications of 9-11 on the whole NFL, the Steelers went on a 5-game binge where Jerome Bettis rushed for 584 yards (5.8 average) with 5 touchdowns, while the defense allowed 3.5 yards per rush and posted 23 sacks and 9 takeaways. Then in a Week 12 game vs. Minnesota, Bettis injured a groin and would end up missing the final 5 regular season games and the Divisional Round Playoff Game vs. the defending champion Ravens.
In those 5 regular season games, Stewart picked up the slack. He completed 58.3 percent for 1,095 yards, with 8 touchdowns, 6 interceptions (4 in an OT loss in Cincinnati), and a rating of 83.5 to go along with 151 rushing yards (6.2 average) and another touchdown. In a 26-21 win in Baltimore on Dec. 16 that made the Steelers 11-2 and put them in command of the AFC Central and in the pole position for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Stewart was dynamic. He completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 333 yards, with touchdown passes of 25 and 90 yards, no interceptions, and a rating of 122.1. He added 55 yards rushing (5.5 average) and helped the Steelers post 476 yards of total net offense and convert 9-of-15 on third downs against the mighty Ravens defense.
In the AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh, the Steelers went in as a double-digit favorite over New England, but they rushed for only 58 yards and their special teams allowed a punt return for a touchdown and a blocked field goal that was returned for another touchdown in a 24-17 loss. Much of the blame for what was seen as a stunning upset at the time fell on Stewart, who threw 3 interceptions, and that game was a turning point in his time with the Steelers. During the third game of 2002, Stewart was benched for Maddox and come 2003 he was playing for the Chicago Bears.
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KELVIN GARDNER FROM PINE BEACH, NJ: With Mike McCarthy's history of working with multiple defensive systems, do you expect the Steelers to stay rooted in their traditional 3–4 identity, or lean more into the hybrid, multiple-front style we've seen from many recent Super Bowl champions?
ANSWER: Since the Steelers are aligned in a traditional 3-4 about 30 percent of the time, statistics would indicate they already were employing hybrid, multiple-front styles on defense. Coach Mike McCarthy said on Jan. 27, "The history of the Steelers defense and staying with the 3-4 is important, as far as the origin of it … Always been a fan of it and always felt it was the toughest one to compete against as an offensive coach. That's part of the reason why I went to it in Green Bay."
When Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham did an interview with Missi Matthews for Steelers.com, he said this about the current defensive personnel: "The size. The sheer mass of the human beings we have lined up out there. This is what you envision in terms of your defense to look like in terms of length, size, mass. They're just big men. Every time I have met one of them, most of them are all bigger than me. I'm not a small guy, but they just dwarf me. I'm like, 'Yes this is exactly what I want it to look like.'"
SCOTT RANDALL FROM CONWAY, SC: Obviously, this draft is WR wealthy. Do you think this can sway the decision of the team to attack CB/safety in the first round over a WR?
ANSWER: My opinion on this is that I wouldn't pass on a dynamic WR in the first round because I think/hope you can get the same caliber player in the second/third round. I would trust the evaluations/grades and pick my board.
KAWPORN SUSSANGKARN FROM CHIANGRAI, THAILAND: Hopefully Aaron Rodgers will be back this year, so the Steelers won't have to use a draft pick on a QB. Next year I believe there are supposedly more options of "good" QBs in the draft. What do you think?
ANSWER: I think the key word in your question is "supposedly." Again, I'm trusting the evaluations and the grades on my draft board. What this 2026 group of draft eligible QBs has shown everyone is that what's predicted before the college season is not necessarily the reality.
JAMES ROBERT LABAR JR. FROM BYRNEDALE, PA: Who will be the starting left tackle for the Steelers in 2026?
ANSWER: Well, I don't see the Steelers using a No. 1 pick on a tackle in the upcoming draft, and the cost of a starting-caliber LT in free agency can be astronomical. That would leave it as a competition between Broderick Jones and Dylan Cook.
RICHARD CIMINO FROM HOT SPRINGS, AR: You listed the coaching staff for us. It was rather lengthy. How many coaching staff members were on Mike Tomlin's staff? Seems like Mike McCarthy has doubled the previous staff.
ANSWER: There were 23 assistants on Mike Tomlin's staff in 2025. There are 26 listed on McCarthy's staff for 2026.
BRIAN JENKINS FROM CULPEPER, VA: Have the Steelers ever swapped a first-round pick in a current draft for one in the following year's draft, or traded back to have extra capital to make moves the following year? I know it's early, but the QB class in 2027 is being called one of the best in a long time. Do you think that is something they would consider?
ANSWER: In a previous submission about the potential QB class of 2027, the word "supposedly" was used. Your submission uses, "is being called." I personally believe it makes no sense to trade a No. 1 pick in 2026 for what might happen in 2027.
HANS KOLLER FROM FREDONIA, PA: I'd like to offer my condolences to Mike Wagner's family. I'm not old enough to have seen him play, but my mother did, and we had the chance to meet him when he was signing autographs. When she fan-girled over meeting her first player from the 1970s teams, he couldn't have been a more gracious person.
ANSWER: As Mel Blount said, "I don't know how to say it other than he was a good person."
RUSS PALLONE FROM TRINIDAD, CO: I've read several reports that the pass interference penalty rule may be changed to be more like the college rule, a 15-yard penalty/automatic first down instead of a spot foul. Do you think the pros outweigh the cons in such a change?
ANSWER: What I believe is that it's a moot point in 2026, because NFL Media's Judy Battista reported on Feb. 22: "NFL Competition Committee's Rich McKay does not expect it will be a big year for rules proposals. 'The game is in a good place,' he said."
MICHAEL ROBERTS FROM ELIZABETHTOWN, KY: Overall I really like this coaching staff's mix of experience and new faces. What will Steve Scarnecchia do as Chief of Staff?
ANSWER: I have no idea. But I'm also confident Coach Mike McCarthy has a plan and that he verbalized that plan to President Art Rooney II and General Manager Omar Khan. And I'm sure that whatever that role is will evolve.
JACK G. FOSTER FROM ROUNDUP, MT: Thanks for the list of new assistant coaches who have been hired. Was any of the previous staff retained? Also, have the previous offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and special teams coordinator been hired elsewhere?
ANSWER: Tom Arth was retained to coach quarterbacks and Scott McCurley was retained to coach inside linebackers. Arthur Smith was hired to be the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, and Danny Smith was hired to be the special teams coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As of a few days ago, Teryl Austin did not have a coaching job for 2026.
