Steelers Former QB Byron Leftwich Is Thankful For His Time In Pittsburgh: 'Best Thing That Actually Happened To Me'

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their issues at the quarterback position ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season. The quarterback room has been less than mediocre over the last two seasons with Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, who are all now on different teams. The Steelers' quarterback room used to be one of the best in the league, with Roethlisberger leading the way and two of the best backups in the league sitting behind him: Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich. 

Leftwich was with Pittsburgh during the 2008 season, and then again from 2010 through 2012. He was initially picked seventh overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, but would eventually lose his starting job ahead of the 2007 season. He went on to sign with the Atlanta Falcons and was primarily a backup there before being released following the season, and wound up signing with the Steelers in 2008 after Batch got hurt in the preseason. 

It was a quick fall from grace for Leftwich. He went from bring a bona fide starting-caliber prospect to a career backup. Despite his underwhelming stint in the NFL, he discussed how grateful he was to land in Pittsburgh on Curtbone TV. 

"I knew Ben [Roethlisberger] from college. We played each other in college. Me going to the Steelers is actually the best thing that actually happened to me, really in my career. I was at the right space in the right time for all the stuff that happened to me, to happen, for me to take it in. Obviously, when I get there I still want to be a starter, things didn't go well for me in Jacksonville, but now I'm on a team thats ripe to win a Super Bowl."

Leftwich's first run with Pittsburgh was just for the 2008 season, in which the Steelers earn a ring in Super Bowl XLIII. Leftwich appeared in five games for Pittsburgh throughout that season, completing 21 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns, he also recorded a rushing touchdown. Leftwich was a reliable backup, and he and Batch sitting behind Roethlisberger made the Steelers one of the most impressive and complete quarterback rooms in the league.

Up until the 2008 season with Pittsburgh, Leftwich had spent most of his career in Jacksonville, who were an expansion franchise that was introduced to the NFL ahead of the 1995 season. Needless to say, they didn't have the same rich history in Jacksonville as they did in Pittsburgh. The standards were not the same, and the expectations were understandably different with the Steelers. Leftwich touched on the differences he saw upon his arrival in Pittsburgh.

"Now I'm seeing what it look like. I'm seeing the building, how the coaches operate, how the cooks, how the everything operate within the building, how the owners operate, cause my only experience is with Jacksonville. Now that I go from Jacksonville to Pittsburgh, now that I'm gaining a whole different experience, now that I'm watching a building, an organization, really go about trying to win the Super Bowl."

Leftwich left Pittsburgh after the 2008 season concluded with a Super Bowl victory, but came back to the team after a year away. He ended his playing career with a second stint in Pittsburgh from 2010 through 2012. The Steelers made the Super Bowl again during the 2010 season, but unfortunately lost to the Green Bay Packers. Leftwich and the Steelers made the Super Bowl in his first two seasons with the team, and Leftwich was able to earn a Super Bowl ring in 2008. 

Steelers Former Quarterback Has Had A Successful Coaching Career

Leftwich retired from the NFL after the 2012 season, and returned in 2016 to pursue a coaching career. He started as an intern for the Arizona Cardinals, where he was promoted to quarterbacks coach for the 2017 and 2018 season. 

The Cardinals fired their offensive coordinator during the 2018 season, and Leftwich was given the job for the rest of the year. Following the 2018 season, Leftwich followed Bruce Arians to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Leftwich was the offensive coordinator from 2019 through 2022, winning the Super Bowl as a coach during the 2020 season. 

The Buccaneers fired Leftwich following the 2022 season, and he didn't have a job during the 2023 season. When the Steelers were having their offensive struggles under Matt Canada in 2023, Leftwich spoke out about how he was trying to contact the Steelers about being an offensive consultant, but they showed no interest. 

Leftwich has yet to have another coaching job since being fired after the 2022 season, and he has spent most of his coaching career under Arians, who was his offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh. Arians retired from coaching after the 2021 season, and it is unclear if any other head coach will give Leftwich a shot at the professional level.