With Steelers QBs dropping like flies, the emergency QB is...Ryan Switzer

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback depth chart has been decimated since the start of the 2019 regular season. Ben Roethlisberger left the Week 2 game vs. the Seattle Seahawks with an elbow injury, giving way to Mason Rudolph.

Rudolph started three games, but in the third quarter of his third start vs. the Baltimore Ravens he was knocked out of the game with a high hit from safety Earl Thomas.

Now the Steelers turn to third string quarterback Devlin Hodges to start their Week 6 game on Sunday Night Football vs. the Los Angeles Chargers. Since Rudolph, who is still going through the NFL’s concussion protocol, has been ruled out the team promoted Paxton Lynch from their practice squad as the primary backup this week.

But what if something happened to both Hodges and Lynch? Who would take over the position during the game if needed?

None other than Ryan Switzer...

“No. 10 [Switzer] always handles that,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said. “He always takes snaps before the game. He’ll always have the extra wristband off to the side, that type of thing. He might not be able to do as much. There may be a lot on that wrist band that is never called but there is a lot that you still could do.”

Well, at least this seems as if the team has a plan in place in case they find themselves in dire straits in the middle of a game. However, Switzer doesn’t sound like he has ever truly prepared to enter a game.

“I think I got volunteered by Randy himself,” Switzer said, with a smile. “He said, ‘You’re the emergency QB.’ There was no, can you? It was just, you are.”

Does Switzer have any experience as a quarterback? He did say he “threw some passes in college” while he attended the University of North Carolina. But that would be about it.

“That’s about the extent of my experience,” he added.

Ultimately, it comes down to Switzer just wanting to get on the football field. At this point in time he has been used almost solely as a return man. He is hoping things will change, and it won’t be at the quarterback position.

“I would like to get on the field wherever I can fit in,” Switzer said. “I’d like to be out there. I get in where I can fit in, as many ways as I can help the team.”

While the Steelers are on their third quarterback of the season, we all should hope they don’t have to see Switzer taking snaps anytime soon.