I’m certainly the type that reads a good amount of Pittsburgh Steelers articles as I enjoy reading other people’s takes. I would say the two hottest topics currently are Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and whether he is someone who can resurrect the offensive production in 2024, and the other topic among the fanbase and writers concerns Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill and how he could be added to the team.

While I am all for competition at all positions and a firm believer in competition breeds success, there are so many question marks this early in the quarterback process that one must question whether fans truly desire this seemingly fantastical decision.

Coach Smith and his development on Tannehill earned him a head coaching position with the Atlanta Falcons, and there is no question about that. Prior to Smith’s promotion to offensive coordinator, Tannehill was in a limbo with his career. After Smith got the promotion, everything changed for the better. Under his direction, Tannehill surged after being placed into action with the benching of Marcus Mariota after a rough 2-4 start. Smith’s offensive scheme and personnel really suited Tannehill, and the team finished 9-7. They made a splash in the playoffs, winning both the Wildcard and the Divisional Rounds before losing 35-24 to the soon-to-be Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

The following season (2020), Tannehill finished with 33 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions, threw for 3,819 yards, and registered a 106.5 passer rating, and went 11-5 advancing to the playoffs before losing to the Ravens 20-13.

With all of these statistics being mentioned, I want to pose an important question – Do you, as a Steelers fan, want Ryan Tannehill, now a 35-year-old quarterback coming off a rough, injury-prone season?

Personally, I am all for the competition at quarterback and with Mason Rudolph’s future uncertain, it does make some sense. However, I would rather go in a different direction at the most important position in football. Here are several of my reasons:

• Tannehill is coming off an injury-riddled 2023 and finished with 4 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, a 35.0 QBR and only threw for 1,616 yards
• Tannehill is 35 years old and will be 36 when the season begins
• We are banking on his past success. Doesn’t the saying go, past performance is no guarantee of future results
• The AFC North is extremely physical and an older quarterback with prior injuries may not be the smartest of moves

These are just four reasons I have outlined. Keep in mind, this is an opinion piece, and I acknowledge the devil’s advocate among some fans might argue pairing Smith with Tannehill again could yield positive results. From 2019 to 2020, we witnessed the success. However, considering that was 4-5 years ago, I remain very cautious about this potential move.

I am eager to hear your thoughts on whether Tannehill would be a smart investment for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. Let us know in the comment section below.