Jerome Bettis reveals path he wants Steelers to take in 2026 NFL Draft

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 06: Jerome Bettis speaks on SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIX on February 06, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM) | Getty Images for SiriusXM The NFL Draft is just over 24 hours away at the time of writing, and the festivities around the city of Pittsburgh have gotten off to a nice start. And while the city is buzzing, its team is still without a definitive answer at quarterback for the 2026 season, as Aaron Rodgers has yet to make a decision on whether or not he will return for a second season with the Steelers.

Steelers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis spoke with Behind The Steel Curtain in Pittsburgh ahead of the draft, and said he is fine with the pursuit of Rodgers, but wants to see the team take a quarterback. “I don’t have a problem with the Aaron Rodgers project in terms of this year,” Bettis said . “But I do believe [the Steelers should] go and maybe in the latter rounds – in the third, fourth, fifth round – maybe you get one of those quarterbacks and maybe you are able to then develop them to a degree where next year you either have a quarterback or you’re going to get a quarterback [in the 2027 draft].

So, that way, you’re not in the same quagmire that you’re in every year. ” The Steelers brought in several mid-round projected quarterbacks for pre-raft visits, including Carson Beck and Drew Allar. Bettis adds that he’d love to see the Steelers move up a handful of picks if there is a player they love in the first round.

“This year, I would love to see if they could move up five or six slots,” Bettis said. “There’s a couple offensive linemen that I think they could really utilize. Unfortunately, they may not be there.