Steelers Newcomer ‘Steals’ QB1 Spot from Aaron Rodgers After Outstanding Preseason – Locker Room Shaken

Pittsburgh, PA – August nights in the preseason aren’t supposed to matter. The stars sit, the depth chart feels like cement, and fans wait for September. But sometimes, a name climbs out of the shadows and shakes everything. This August, that name is Skylar Thompson.

Three games, three statements. Against Jacksonville, Thompson delivered with ice in his veins: 20 of 28 passes, 233 yards, and three touchdowns — a performance that felt like a spark in the dark. One week later, against Tampa Bay, he stumbled — 10 of 15, 113 yards, one interception — the kind of night backups usually disappear into. But instead of folding, he rose. In Carolina, he was nearly flawless: 11 of 13, 152 yards, one touchdown, finishing with a rating over 140 and silencing anyone who doubted he could bounce back.

Put it all together and the numbers feel less like preseason fluff, more like a résumé: 41 completions on 56 attempts, 498 yards, 4 touchdowns, just 1 interception. A quarterback rating north of 115. By every metric, one of the sharpest preseason arms in the league.

But numbers only tell half the story. On the sideline, teammates leaned in. In the huddle, voices grew louder. Energy followed him — the kind that can’t be charted, only felt.

And so, the whispers turned into a question: Is Skylar Thompson ready to be more than a camp body? Is he ready to be QB1 material?

The Steelers suddenly have a decision no one saw coming. With depth shaken, with health uncertain, Thompson has carved his way into the conversation. Maybe he’s the backup Pittsburgh didn’t expect. Maybe, just maybe, he’s more.

For now, one truth remains: in a league that rarely forgives mistakes, Skylar Thompson turned three preseason nights into a promise. And promises in Pittsburgh have a way of echoing louder than the scoreboard.