The Pittsburgh Steelers have remained a consistent playoff contender in recent years, but that success has come despite shaky quarterback play. Since the later stages of Ben Roethlisberger’s career, the team has struggled to find reliable, high-level production at the position. Finding a true successor has proven elusive, and this offseason doesn’t appear poised to change that.
However, Steelers legend James Harrison has a bold — some might say outrageous — solution: the Steelers should offer a massive haul of draft picks to pry Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow away from their AFC North rivals.
“Hey Steelers, three first-round picks for anybody, they’re gone,” Harrison declared on his Deebo and Joe podcast. “They can’t turn that down… I’ll give you three firsts, a second, and a third… I’ve got the team, all I need is the quarterback. Joe Burrow, you see we’re number one, we’re building. We’re two-star Michelin.
“You want to make it three? Come on over here… You can’t turn that down. There’s too much there. You’ve gotta build something. Defense, they can’t stop a nosebleed over there. They’re in trouble. Let the man go, get you something for it, and start over.”
Revisiting the Deshaun Watson trade:
**Texans received:**
– 2022 1st-round pick
– 2022 4th-round pick
– 2023 1st-round pick
– 2023 3rd-round pick
– 2024 1st-round pick
– 2024 4th-round pick**Browns received:**
– Deshaun Watson
– 2024 6th-round pickThe… pic.twitter.com/i50WN5PwsG
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 10, 2025
Harrison has been pushing this idea for some time now, even claiming he has been in regular contact with Burrow himself about making the move to Pittsburgh and talking to Bengals ownership.
While the Bengals have fallen short of expectations in recent seasons, there is virtually no chance they would trade their franchise quarterback — especially to a division rival. Harrison’s proposed package of three first-round picks, a second-rounder, and a third-rounder would be extremely difficult for any team to reject on paper. Yet replacing a quarterback of Burrow’s elite caliber is even tougher.
A deal of this scale is rare in the NFL. Few teams have ever surrendered three first-round picks for an established veteran. The closest parallel is the Cleveland Browns’ ill-fated trade for Deshaun Watson, which sent Houston three first-rounders along with additional picks. That move has backfired spectacularly for Cleveland.
Burrow, who has thrown for over 20,810 career passing yards and 157 touchdowns in just 77 games, brings a different profile. Though he has battled injuries — including missing significant time in recent seasons — he has shown the ability to elevate any offense when healthy. Pairing him with Pittsburgh’s strong roster and defense would likely turn the Steelers into immediate Super Bowl contenders, masking many of their current weaknesses.
The Bengals, however, know this all too well. They would be loath to watch their star quarterback transform their biggest rival into a powerhouse. Burrow would make the Steelers a nightmare matchup in the AFC North, forcing Cincinnati to go through Pittsburgh just to reach the playoffs or beyond.
Even with such a massive offer of draft capital, the Bengals would almost certainly refuse. If they ever did decide to move on from Burrow, plenty of other suitors outside the division would line up with competitive packages — likely without the added sting of handing a weapon to a direct rival.
In reality, the only place Steelers fans are likely to see Joe Burrow wearing black and gold anytime soon is in a video game simulation.
Harrison’s fiery pitch may be entertaining podcast fodder, but for now, it remains nothing more than a bold dream for a Super Bowl run in Pittsburgh. The price is high, the rivalry factor is higher, and the odds of it actually happening are vanishingly slim.
