The Pittsburgh Steelers may not wait around for Aaron Rodgers to confirm his plans, with the latest news once again linking them to a shot-caller. While the veteran Rodgers is still deciding whether he wants to play another season, a rumor suggests the team could swoop in on a former Atlanta player, tied to a massive $180 million deal.
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#Steelers have done homework on Kirk Cousins by the chance Aaron Rodgers don’t return. #herewego,” NFL Rumors posted on X, “The #Raiders have also shown interest.”
#Steelers have done homework on KIrk Cousins by the chance Aaron Rodgers don’t return. #herewego
The #Raiders have also shown interest pic.twitter.com/yPSHqGJsw4
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) March 20, 2026
Last year, when Kirk Cousins was linked to Pittsburgh, he was still under contract, but things have changed. The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly considering signing Kirk Cousins, who had been on a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons before being officially released in March 2026.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback uncertainty did not appear overnight. Even in 2025, the numbers painted a worrying picture. The offense was consistently out-gained, finishing. With no clear successor since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, Pittsburgh cycled through short-term fixes, including Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph, but never truly found stability.
With Rodgers’ plans still unclear, and with only Will Howard and Mason Rudolph currently in the quarterback room, adding Cousins could make sense. He would bring veteran leadership and stability to the position. Most importantly, Cousins is half a decade younger than Aaron Rodgers.
Last season, Cousins recorded over 1,700 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and a QB rating of 47.6 for the Falcons. He began the 2025 season as a backup to Michael Penix Jr. but eventually became the starter after Penix suffered yet another season-ending ACL injury.
Those numbers are about half of Rodgers’ production last season, when he threw for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns. Even so, the Steelers could still be interested given the fact that Cousins only played 10 games.
Rodgers’ age and the limited options available at quarterback also play a role here. Many quarterbacks have already been signed, including Geno Smith, Justin Fields, Kyler Murray, and Tua Tagovailoa, which makes Cousins’ availability important.
That said, the Steelers aren’t the only team interested. John Breech of CBS Sports believes Cousins could land with the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Cousins would obviously prefer to go to a team where he might be able to start, but with those options drying up, the Raiders would make a lot of sense.”
Breech also mentioned that a reunion with head coach Klint Kubiak (after their time together at Minnesota) could make Las Vegas an appealing destination. With the Raiders potentially eyeing a rookie like Mendoza, Cousins could step in as a reliable veteran mentor while helping stabilize the offense. However, not everyone is on board with the potential signing.
Ryan Clark strongly opposes the Pittsburgh Steelers signing Kirk Cousins
While the Pittsburgh Steelers might be thinking about signing Kirk Cousins, former NFL player Ryan Clark has a different opinion on the situation.
“If you think Will Howard can be something in the future, but you may have to let him grow,” Clark said. “I’d rather you play with him, get a veteran backup…it can still be Mason Rudolph. Do not go get another old dude that’s going to have you as an average team. You’re trying to make the same decision next year.”
Cousins will turn 38 before the regular season kicks off, so Clark is clearly suggesting the team should lean toward younger quarterbacks instead.
Speaking of Howard, he was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Clark believes the team should give him time to develop rather than bringing in an older quarterback and ending up in the same situation again.
However, Howard did not have a smooth start to his career. In fact, he had to begin the regular season on injured reserve after fracturing his hand during a Steelers practice. As a result of that injury, Howard did not participate in any games during his rookie season.
Despite that, Howard did have a promising college career as a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who played for both the Kansas State Wildcats and the Ohio State Buckeyes. In 50 games, Howard completed 767 passes for 9,796 yards, threw 83 touchdowns, 35 interceptions, and had 1,147 rushing yards with 26 rushing touchdowns.
These stats are promising despite the fact that the rookie never featured in the NFL last year due to injury. The Steelers can use a veteran backup like Rudolph to focus on developing a quarterback instead of being in a cycle where they are constantly in search of one.
