Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs got his first regular season playing time during the 2018 season and the results were a mixed bag.
He was called on in the fourth quarter of a November game against the Ravens when Ben Roethlisberger had to come out after a hit. The Steelers were backed up in their own end zone, but Dobbs completed his first NFL pass for a 22-yard gain that helped set up a field goal the Steelers used to go up two scores on their way to a win.
Dobbs replaced an ailing Roethlisberger in a December game against the Raiders and didn’t do as well. He was 4-of-9 for 24 yards and an interception as the Steelers went down in a 24-21 loss that loomed large when they were watching the playoffs at the end of the season.
After the season, Dobbs took stock of a year that started with him beating out Landry Jones for the No. 2 job.
“Definitely, there were positives to take from [2018],” Dobbs said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Obviously, you wish the team would have gone farther, so there’s frustration in that ... But it was a fun year, a fun season. I felt like I grew a lot personally and in my role with the team. I feel like I was able to take some steps forward. And I look forward to this offseason, when I can take just as many steps forward and in the right direction as well.”
Dobbs may have to show that growth in order to keep the No. 2 job. Mason Rudolph was a third-round pick last year and will be pushing to follow Dobbs’ path from third quarterback to primary backup in his second season.