Steelers among top landing spots for quarterback from legendary NFL family originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely be back in the quarterback market in 2026, as Aaron Rodgers is likely to retire after the 2025 campaign.
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Though Pittsburgh could opt to hand the keys over to Will Howard as the quarterback of the future, NFL Spin Zone’s Joshua Watt believes the Steelers could target Texas signal-caller Arch Manning in the 2026 NFL Draft to be their hopeful franchise quarterback.
The Steelers have been a quarterback away from being a great team for many years. Arch would join a roster that has a good mix of veterans and youth, with the offense being fairly young.
Arch could step in with stability at coach, and enough talent to support him early on. If Arch were selected here, he could almost instantly elevate the team’s chance for playoff success.
Manning is set to be the Longhorns’ full-time starting quarterback in 2025 after sitting behind Quinn Ewers for two seasons. The 21-year-old did start a few games last year, tossing nine touchdowns to two interceptions with a 67.8% completion rate. Manning also added 108 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
The New Orleans native is expected to post a phenomenal 2025 campaign and be in contention for the Heisman Trophy. If Manning does so, the redshirt sophomore will be in contention for the top quarterback in the 2026 draft.
Pittsburgh would be a dream landing spot for Manning in the NFL, as he would be placed in a fantastic situation with an experienced and respected head coach in Mike Tomlin.
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Manning would also bring some much-needed excitement to the quarterback position in Steel City due to his mobility, something the franchise has lacked in recent years.
Though Manning could be the prized player in the 2026 draft, his grandfather, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning, doesn’t expect his grandson to declare for the draft next year.
“Arch isn’t going to do that. He’ll be at Texas,” Archie Manning said of Arch’s 2026 draft plans.
Staying all four years in college is a Manning tradition, as Eli and Peyton Manning both stayed all four seasons at their respective universities and ended up being legendary quarterbacks in the NFL.
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Arch Manning could follow in his uncle’s footsteps, but he could also declare early with a stellar 2025 season and be a draft target for the quarterback-needy Steelers.
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