ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky joined The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, and shares his thoughts on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Tomlin and the team’s future.
The Steelers find themselves at 7-7-1 following an embarrassing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but Orlovsky is still praising Tomlin for getting the team in the playoff chase despite their warts.
“This is probably one of the better coaching jobs of Mike Tomlin’s career,” Orlovsky said. “But anyone who thought the Steelers were going to be good this year, that is on you. Because the writing was on the wall. Bad offensive line. Ben couldn’t play at a high level anymore. The secondary lost important pieces. They were completely dependent on their defense being incredible … They’re a below average team with an above average coach.”
Still, Orlovsky does not believe a lackluster 2021 season will have any impact on Roethlisberger’s legacy in Pittsburgh, comparing the final stretch of his career to that of Eli Manning’s.
“I don’t think this season has any bearing on anyone’s opinion of Ben Roethlisberger,” he said. “He’s a Hall of Famer, and one of the best to ever put on that uniform. No one cares about what Eli Manning did in his last year. We all remember Eli Manning for his Super Bowl runs and his clutch play.”
While they will still have Tomlin, Orlovsky is painting a picture of uncertainty with regards to the quarterback position in Pittsburgh.
“They’re just a team that doesn’t have a bright future,” Orlovsky added. “They’re gonna have to draft a kid in the first round this year, I would imagine.
Orlovsky does not think Pittsburgh has any chance of winning the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes either.
“Aaron’s not going there,” he said bluntly.