Mike Tomlin draws a line in the sand over Mitch Trubisky

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was clear on who plays at the quarterback known as the Steelers, opening the season with a 1-2 record.

Anyone watching the Steelers knew that 2022 would mark the beginning of a transitional period as the team sought its future franchise quarterback.

But how difficult that period was, with the Steelers managing to win a game out of three, no fan wants to see the season unravel so early.

For their part, the Steelers anticipated their potential quarterback problems by bringing in several. Early in the offseason, the Steelers fielded Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and the late Dwayne Haskins. The Steelers selected Kenny Pickett during the NFL draft. Currently, the Steelers are a rarity in the league with three possible quarterbacks, and Steelers fans are excited to see what Pitt star Kenny Pickett can achieve in the NFL.

Not so fast, according to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

When asked if he would consider a quarterback or play-caller change after a humiliating loss to the Cleveland Browns, Tomlin firmly dismissed the notion that reactionary changes were being made.

Mike Tomlin throws in cold water when he replaces Mitch Trubisky with Kenny Pickett

Pain is to be expected when a high-profile quarterback retires — think the Post-Peyton Manning Denver Broncos — but the way 2022 has played out has been agonizing for Pittsburgh.

They won by an overtime field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals, a win that gained prominence in their recent loss to AFC North. Then the Steelers lost to another longtime AFC rival, the New England Patriots. Trubisky threw for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of that game, and the Steelers only managed to concede two field goals in the first three quarters of the game.

Then there are the week 3 loss to the Browns, where Trubisky barely passed 200 yards and didn’t score a touchdown. That might have been passable had the Steelers been able to compensate with their running game, but they weren’t. Trubisky and Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett had nearly identical passing stats on completions, attempts, and yards, aside from the fact that Brissett had two touchdowns.

But Cleveland saw 38 carries and 171 yards to the 22 carries and 104 yards that Pittsburgh recorded. As Tomlin said: “Nick Chubb controlled the game.”

“I thought they controlled the line of scrimmage, especially in the second half. If you can’t slow down Chubb, you can’t beat this group. We kind of knew that and didn’t manage it. We have to acknowledge the result and we will, so there’s not really much to talk about. We’re going to watch this tape and learn, get better and get better very quickly.”

Tomlin has made it clear that Trubisky will be studying his tape for now, rather than the team carrying out their rookie quarterback.

While Trubisky offers a veteran presence in the bag, it’s hard to imagine what Pickett could accomplish given the opportunity. Maybe more than two touchdowns and an interception in three games? With games like this, the Steelers can expect to finish slightly higher than No. 20 in the 2023 NFL Draft.