Steelers Turning To Alonza Barnett III Amid Struggles From Minshew
Pittsburgh, PA. - Nathan Scheelhaase has seen enough of Gardner Minshew.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Wednesday that second-year pro Alonza Barnett III will take over as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the 2028 season, ending Minshew's tenure as the starter after five games, a 1-4 record, and a stat line that tells the story of a failed experiment—902 yards, seven touchdowns, ten interceptions, and a 56 percent completion rate that never inspired confidence and only eroded it.
Scheelhaase was characteristically direct in his reasoning.
"There are critical mistakes being made that simply can't happen, especially with a veteran under center," he said flatly. "At this point, we can either keep pounding our heads into a brick wall or try to find another way around. That's why we're turning to Alonza Barnett III for the remainder of the season."
Barnett III arrives at his first NFL starting opportunity as one of the more intriguing unknowns on the Pittsburgh roster. The former James Madison standout led the Dukes to the College Football Playoff in 2025 before sliding to the sixth round of the 2026 draft amid questions about his arm talent and ability to process NFL-level defenses. He has yet to appear in a regular season game since being drafted.
What has never been in question is his athleticism, and sources close to the organization suggest that is precisely the point.
"He's the closest thing they have on the roster to the escapability Richardson brought to this team," one source told ESPN. "Howard and Minshew may be better pure passers on paper, but they're statues. At the very least, when things break down Barnett can try to make something happen with his legs."
Not everyone is framing the move as a genuine attempt to win football games.
"They're tanking," one AFC executive told ESPN bluntly. "They can frame it however they want, but let's call a spade a spade. They know Richardson isn't escaping these charges anytime soon, and they know the quarterbacks they currently have aren't going to cut it long term. With a murky cap situation, they're banking on getting a high enough pick to land a top tier quarterback in the draft."
Scheelhaase pushed back on that characterization when asked, maintaining that the organization's focus remains on finishing the season competitively. Whether that holds up against the scrutiny of a 5-8 record and a roster in transition is another matter entirely.
Barnett III will make his first career NFL start Sunday against the red-hot New York Giants at Acrisure Stadium.
