Former Steelers QB Josh Dobbs Criticizes Team's Quarterback Development Failures

Josh Dobbs, a former quarterback drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017, has publicly criticized the Steelers for their inadequate development of his NFL career. Dobbs explained that during his early years backing up Ben Roethlisberger, he often felt uncertain about his role and lacked clear guidance on offensive strategies, which hindered his growth as a quarterback. He contrasted this experience with other teams where he received more structured coaching, emphasizing his desire to understand the reasoning behind game plans rather than merely executing plays blindly. Dobbs spent multiple seasons with the Steelers but only made his first career start later with the Tennessee Titans, and has since played for several other NFL teams, finding better developmental environments. Analysts and reports indicate that Dobbs’ struggles were partly due to the Steelers' focus on winning with a veteran quarterback, which left little opportunity or framework for grooming a young backup. This criticism has sparked conversation about the Steelers' quarterback development approach under head coach Mike Tomlin, especially considering Dobbs’ journeyman career afterward.