The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the countless teams across the NFL who have some sort of question mark at the quarterback position. They have been in this same exact spot ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season, and that is due to the fact that the organization did not have a good backup plan in place for when the two-time Super Bowl Champion would decide to hang it up.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during the regular season finale in Week 18 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North title.
Pittsburgh has patched the quarterback position together with veterans over the last two seasons, and that came after reaching for Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Aaron Rodgers have all been under center for Pittsburgh at some point over the last two years, with both versions of the team finding a way to make the playoffs. Rodgers is now a free agent, and he is still deciding if he wants to continue his playing career. If he does, many expect that he would sign with Pittsburgh, but the Steelers also have to think about a world where Rodgers is not the starter in 2026.
If Rodgers decides not to return, the franchise won't have a ton of options at quarterback. However, Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom has some insight on who the organization might want to target.
"Former Vikings playoff quarterback Kirk Cousins is among the top options for Pittsburgh if Rodgers is not back, according to league sources," La Canfora wrote. "While the team is legitimately high on the upside of second-year quarterback Will Howard as well."
Currently, the only quarterbacks under contract for the Steelers in 2026 are Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. New head coach Mike McCarthy seems very excited about Howard, while he hasn't really mentioned much about Rudolph. It seems like Howard is above Rudolph in McCarthy's world, which makes a lot of fans in Pittsburgh happy. However, signing Kirk Cousins would probably do the opposite for the fan base in the Steel City.
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins coming out of the tunnel as he prepares to take on the Minnesota Vikings in a professional football game.
Cousins has had some tumultuous years as of late. He tore his Achilles in his final season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, and he then signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency on a huge deal. In 2024, he was clearly bothered by his Achilles. His mobility was limited and he seemed almost afraid at times when dropping back in the pocket. He was eventually benched for the younger Michael Penix Jr., and Cousins entered the 2025 season as the backup.
The veteran quarterback got to start again when Penix unfortunately tore his ACL. He started eight games for Atlanta during the 2025 season, and he looked pretty good as he put together some impressive performances. He would probably be able to produce in Pittsburgh, but the fan base is sick and tired of older veteran coming in at quarterback to keep Pittsburgh mediocre.
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Quarterback Kirk Cousins looks for an open receiver during a game while he was with the Minnesota Vikings.
Steelers Have Their Reasons For Considering Kirk Cousins
Cousins signing in Pittsburgh would get a lot of fans upset, but it could be good for the long run. He could be another veteran mentor for Howard, and he could produce with some new weapons on the offensive side of the ball. He is further removed from his major injury, so his play should only improve from what was seen in 2024 and 2025. La Canfora spoke about why the Steelers would be considering this option.
"Cousins is a quick learner, performed much better in the second half of the season with Atlanta and is now fully recovered from an Achilles injury that marred much of his time with the Falcons," La Canfora wrote. "Pittsburgh would ideally pair a proven veteran starter with Howard, who they believe improved significantly in their first year as a pro after being selected in the sixth round and has potential starting upside, but needs more time to develop."
Signing the veteran quarterback would not be the attractive option for Pittsburgh, but it would probably be the right one. He is likely to be released by the Falcons at the start of the new league, so this would be a cheap deal as well.
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