Former UNC Quarterback Mitch Trubisky May Stay With Steelers After All

Mitch Trubisky was a superstar for the UNC football program just a few years ago. Now, he’s fighting to hold onto his backup QB spot with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It seems like former UNC football quarterback Mitch Trubisky will be staying in Pittsburgh after all. Last off-season, the six-year veteran signed a two-year, $14.3 million deal with the Steelers, a team in dire need of a QB at the time.

After starting the first four games of the 2022 season, he was benched in favor of rookie QB Kenny Pickett. Pickett was a first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, so he was bound to take over Trubisky’s spot at some point during the season.

On Tuesday, Steelers general manager Omar Khan told reporters that he hopes Trubisky remains with the team for the long term. That sounds like more than just the 2023 campaign, which is when his contract goes through.

Since the end of this past season, rumors began to circulate regarding Trubisky’s future with the team. With Pickett locked in as the starter, many thought Trubisky would become a cap casualty. The team could save $8 million if they were to release him, but he still is a very capable backup.

That’s not to mention the impact that a veteran can have on a young quarterback. In Pittsburgh, that’s just what the former UNC quarterback is for Pickett. Pickett can learn and pick up tidbits from a seasoned veteran that has started 55 career games in the NFL.

Trubisky was recently seen working out in South Beach, Florida again with fellow teammates, which included Pickett, George Pickens, and other skill position players. Once the videos circulated, that was a sign that the veteran seems to at least be preparing to return to Pittsburgh.

He remains one of the best quarterbacks to ever come through Chapel Hill. While he only started one year because of Marquise Williams, Trubisky broke several UNC records. It led to him being the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. While he hasn’t quite lived up to that billing, he has still carved out a nice professional career.