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The Pittsburgh Steelers season ended in rough fashion, losing 30-6 in the Wild Card round to the Houston Texans, and the organization is already undergoing major change.
Longtime head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons on Tuesday, and there is no guarantee that quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns as he ponders retirement.
FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd said the Steelers should shake things up and trade star edge rusher T.J. Watt to help find their quarterback of the future.
“A couple of years ago, when I said I’d move T.J. Watt and get more picks, that was outrageous,” Cowherd said during “The Herd.” “T.J.’s 0-for-5 in the playoffs, how outrageous is it?”
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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 4, 2026. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
Cowherd said that the Steelers should move the Defensive Player of the Year to jumpstart a rebuild to get a quarterback. Any draft capitial the the Steelers should get for Watt, Cowherd says they should use to get Alabama star quarterback Ty Simpson.
“If you’re Pittsburgh with all these picks, my takeaway, you give out about six of them to get Ty Simpson in the first round,” Cowherd said. “Say what you want, it’s something. They have seven draft picks in the first four rounds. The Steelers have the ammo. Go get Ty Simpson. You don’t have to move up 25 spots. Move up 10.
“Any of these coaches, you’ve gotta have the quarterback right,” Cowherd added. “They don’t have a quarterback. I want a quarterback.”
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) watches the action against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 2, 2025. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)
The Steelers already have a lot of draft capital. They own all of their picks, including the No. 21 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and have two additional third-round picks from the George Pickens trade with the Dallas Cowboys and a compensation pick thanks to the Tennessee Titans signing former offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. last offseason.
The Steelers also have two fourth-round picks, giving them seven selections in the first four rounds of the draft. A trade of Watt would give them even more draft capital, and ammunition for a trade.
In 14 games this season, Watt had 55 tackles, seven sacks and three forced fumbles. The former Wisconsin star has made the Pro Bowl each of the last eight seasons.
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt stands on the sidelines after being injured during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
For his career, Watt has recorded 115 sacks and 36 forced fumbles in 135 games and is constantly around the quarterback.
A trade of the 31-year-old star would signal a rebuild, as the team would lose a pillar of its vaunted defense, but Cowherd thinks it could be necessary.
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Simpson is widely considered one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s class. In 15 games this season, he completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
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