Steelers connected to $180 million quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers could see their season end on Sunday should they lose to the Baltimore Ravens and choke away the AFC North after holding a three-game lead over Baltimore earlier in the season.

No matter the result, the Steelers will have questions surrounding the quarterback position for the third straight offseason. Aaron Rodgers is going to be a free agent and may retire. If the Steelers don’t retain the four-time MVP, 2026 will mark the sixth consecutive season in which the Steelers have had a different Week 1 starter.

While many expect the Steelers to draft a quarterback, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report labels Pittsburgh as a potential landing spot for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins.

“The Steelers don’t, however, have a clear long-term quarterback plan,” Knox writes. “They’re currently riding with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, though his plan upon joining Pittsburgh was to make this his final season… If he decides to hang it up—or opts to take his last ride with a different team—Pittsburgh will be right back in the quarterback market. Unfortunately, the Steelers aren’t going to end up with a draft position high enough to land one of the top QB prospects in April. Like Rodgers, Cousins is a pure pocket passer at this stage in his career, and he’d slot right into the system we’ve seen coordinator Arthur Smith run this season. He might not be an upgrade over Rodgers, but he probably wouldn’t deliver an offensive decline either—especially if the Steelers can upgrade their supporting cast.”

Cousins has started seven games in 2025 in relief of Michael Penix, throwing nine touchdowns and four interceptions. The four-time Pro Bowler signed a $180 million deal with the Falcons in 2024, but was benched in the final month of the season. The Falcons are 4-3 in games that Cousins has started in 2025.

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