Steelers Are Eyeing a Four-Time Pro Bowl Quarterback as a Backup Plan in 2026 Free Agency
The Steelers enter yet another offseason with questions at the quarterback position. During the 2025 offseason, Pittsburgh was linked to free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers as a potential option for the 2025-2026 season. Ultimately, Rodgers would take his talents to Pittsburgh after a long, grueling offseason process that left many Pittsburgh fans annoyed and uncomfortable. It appears the same situation may be happening this offseason, as Rodgers has not yet made a firm decision about his future. Rodgers has told the Steelers what his demands are, and after following through with these demands during a trade for Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., no one knows what Rodgers decision will be. According to former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky, “Rodgers is going to go back and be the starting quarterback for the Steelers. You can write that in pen.” Despite this report, many news outlets have also reported that the Steelers have been eyeing up former Commanders, Vikings, and Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins to add a veteran presence in the locker room if Rodgers decides to retire.
After the Falcons released Cousins at the start of the new year on March 11th, 2026, they quickly signed Tua Tagovailoa to a one year contract, allowing him to compete for the starting job with Michael Penix Jr. During his time in Atlanta, Cousins had a rough go, and was quickly replaced with Penix, who the Falcons drafted with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Through 14 games starting with the Falcons in 2024, Cousins threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and a league-leading 16 interceptions, while completing just under 67% of his passes. While his time in Atlanta ended badly, being benched in favor of Penix, Cousins excelled during his time in Minnesota three times in four seasons from 2019 to 2022, amassing 23,625 passing yards and 171 passing touchdowns. He led the team to the playoffs twice and won once during a victory over the New Orleans Saints.
While the Steelers are confident in Will Howard to be their quarterback of the future, as stated by Pittsburgh’s head coach, Mike McCarthy. McCarthy has said that Howard is a “moldable block of clay with tremendous upside” and that he’s “really excited” to work with him. While Cousins' age and health are still concerns, after he suffered an Achilles tear during the 2023 season, cutting his campaign short after just eight games, he is still younger than Rodgers and could serve exceptionally well in McCarthy’s passing offense, with Pittman and D.K. Metcalf as his receiving targets. ESPN’s Adam Schefter compares the Cousins situation to Philip Rivers last season, stating, “We saw it with Philip Rivers last year. Kirk Cousins can sit back and wait. He has no reason to be in any rush to take a job.” While these are simply speculations as of now, the possibility that Pittsburgh will bring in the former star quarterback if Rodgers decides to retire or join a different team in free agency is entirely possible. He could serve as a closer replication of Will Howard than Rodgers was, and build a close relationship that Howard and Rodgers had. Just a backup plan, but a likely option, all depending on Rodgers.
