No longer trying to be 'too perfect,' QB Skylar Thompson makes case to stick with Steelers

Ten days into training camp, Skylar Thompson was the clear No. 4 option at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a near lock to be placed on waivers when final roster moves are made this week.

At the conclusion of the preseason, Thompson had the most snaps, touchdowns and passing yards of any quarterback on the roster. In fact, he ranked fourth among NFL passers in yards, tied for second in touchdowns and was sixth in passer rating among quarterbacks with at least 25 attempts.

And, most importantly, he no longer is a certainty to be unemployed as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.

When roster cuts are made before that deadline, Thompson has a fair chance to stick with the Steelers as the third quarterback behind starter Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. His ascension could allow the Steelers to place rookie Will Howard on injured reserve.

Some circumstances — such as Rodgers resting the entire preseason or Howard missing the preseason with a broken finger — were fortuitous for Thompson. He also helped his cause by taking advantage of the chance he was given.

Sometime between Howard’s injury, when Thompson was excluded from “seven shots” drills and getting the mop-up reps in team periods, through the preseason finale, the 28-year-old quarterback embraced an attitude shift that paid off immensely.

If Thompson played against Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Carolina like he had nothing to lose, well, he didn’t.

“No doubt,” Thompson said Sunday after the Steelers practiced at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “Coming into this, I feel sometimes in the past I’ve tried to be too perfect. That has taken away from me being myself.

“That’s the biggest thing I learned coming into this opportunity. I’ve got to be myself. I can’t be something I’m not.”

Thompson was the lone quarterback under contract for 2025 when the offseason began. He signed a reserve/futures deal in January after a three-year stint in Miami. He sought a change of scenery that the Steelers were willing to provide.

He was the only quarterback signed heading into free agency when Rudolph signed a two-year deal to return to the Steelers. Howard was added in late April via the draft, and the Rodgers dalliance became official in early June after voluntary offseason workouts were completed.

With each addition, Thompson kept sliding down the depth chart. He was the fourth quarterback listed when coach Mike Tomlin released his first position ranks in August.

When Howard broke a finger on his throwing hand during a center-quarterback exchange in practice, it opened the door for Thompson to receive a longer look by the coaching staff. He was ready mentally for the opportunity.

“When I have that approach and mindset, I make more plays than I don’t,” he said. “I feel that set me free this preseason by allowing me to have fun and play the game again and love playing with my guys.”

With Rodgers sitting out the preseason and Howard injured, Thompson became the first option off the bench. He completed 20 of 28 passes for three touchdowns and no interceptions against Jacksonville in the preseason opener.

After showing his mortality against Tampa Bay — he was 10 of 15 for 115 yards, no touchdowns and one interception — he rebounded against Carolina. The results were 11 completions in 13 attempts with one touchdown and no interceptions.

“He’s got playing experience,” Tomlin said after the 19-10 win against the Panthers. “This guy started games in Miami, and I think that experience shows. We’re talking regular-season games.”

Thompson saw game action in two of his three seasons with the Dolphins. He started three times in the regular season and once in the playoffs while appearing in 10 games overall.

“There is definitely some carryover in this system,” Thompson said. “Maybe formations, the meat and potatoes of it. It’s also a system that is a little different. There aren’t quite as many motions or shifts, but it allows the quarterback to just play.”

Perhaps Thompson’s biggest contribution in the preseason finale was uncorking a 53-yard pass down the middle to Scotty Miller that stopped the clock with 4 seconds left in the first half and set up a tying field goal.

“If you look at my film and past plays, those are my favorite throws,” Thompson said. “I really enjoy having a good vision and feel for those throws down the middle of the field. In this system, there are options and a lot of concepts that present those opportunities based off the coverage. The important part is being able to identify the coverage and having the receiver be on the same page as you and run the route that you’re thinking. I feel like we’ve grown here in that aspect.”

It was growth that Thompson struggled to reveal a few weeks earlier when he was last on the depth chart. It shows how far he has ascended in such a short time.

“There are a lot of things that have contributed to me feeling that way,” he said. “That has been my mindset to come in here and play free, let it loose and have no regrets when I walk off the field.”