PITTSBURGH — Buffalo Bills quarterback Mitch Trubisky had a tumultuous two-year tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he has no hard feelings toward the organization. Things just did not work out.
The Steelers actually released Trubisky a day after the Super Bowl so he would get an early start in the free agency process. That paid dividends as Trubisky agreed to terms with the Buffalo Bills on March 7, the same team that he played for prior to signing with the Steelers in March of 2022. He’ll serve as the backup quarterback for All-Pro Josh Allen again.
During a press conference with the Buffalo media in March, Trubisky expressed appreciation to Steelers general manager Omar Khan for being a class act.
“It was a good two years. I think I learned a lot. It was tough for me personally, but I don’t have any hard feelings about it whatsoever,” Trubisky said following the Steelers-Bills joint practice at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday. “That’s just part of this journey. Sometimes, you’re going to have ups and downs. Maybe it wasn’t necessarily a good fit. I probably didn’t do what I needed to do on my end to be successful (in Pittsburgh). But there’s a lot of pieces and things that go into it. I always look back on it as a positive experience, and this journey just keeps on rolling. I’m grateful for it all really.”
Trubisky also disclosed that he’s still in a group chat with ex-Steelers quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph, and they communicate regularly.
“I talk to them every week. They actually asked me how Pittsburgh was,” Trubisky said. “I thought they had my location for a second. As soon as I landed, it was, ‘How’s Pittsburgh treating you?’ I was like, ‘Yo, you guys need to chill.’ But they’re doing good. We stay in contact. We’ve got a great relationship.”
Trubisky became the Steelers’ starter last season after Pickett suffered a significant ankle injury against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 3. Things didn’t go well for Trubisky or the Steelers, as the team lost to the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts in consecutive weeks, seeing their playoff hopes pushed to the brink. Trubisky was benched at the end of the Colts game in favor of Mason Rudolph and did not return to action in 2023. On the season, Trubisky completed 67 of 107 passes for 632 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. The Steelers lost all five games in which he appeared.
Despite how things ended in Pittsburgh, Trubisky doesn’t expect Saturday’s preseason game against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium to be an awkward atmosphere.
“It won’t be weird. Once the ball is snapped, It’s just football,” Trubisky said. “(Playing) is always a positive thing. Put some good drives together, continue to get better, and continue to build chemistry with the guys. I’m looking forward to it. Playing football is always fun to me. So however much I play, I’m looking forward to it.”
Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott announced on Friday that Allen, Stefon Diggs, Von Miller and the rest of the Bills stars will be out there for a quarter and a half against the Steelers. Trubisky expects to see a ton of playing time on Saturday night.
Trubisky appeared in six games with the Bills in 2021 but threw just eight passes, completing six for 43 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Kyle Allen backed up Josh Allen in 2023 and did not throw a pass. Ironically, Kyle Allen is now the Steelers’ third-string quarterback.
“It’s been awesome, Josh is a special player,” Trubisky said about learning from Josh Allen. “He’s got all the ability but he’s very cerebral, as well. The way he processes the game. If you watch him in practice, you just learn from the things that he does and the things he sees on the field. And talking (with) him in the meeting room, you just get his thought process and you try to put that into your game, as well. So it’s been awesome working and learning with him, and that’s what makes him a great player.”