It appears rather clear the Pittsburgh Steelers plan to wait for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision on the 2026 NFL season. If Rodgers elects not to return to Pittsburgh, then pundits and fans will see the team’s Plan B behind center.
But because Rodgers is dragging out his decision again, analysts have plenty of time to share what they think the Steelers should do at quarterback.
NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah weighed in on Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation while appearing on “The Football America” Podcast on Friday. Jeremiah argued the signs indicate the Steelers will sign a different veteran quarterback if Rodgers doesn’t return.
Jeremiah called 4-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins the best choice.
“Where the roster is now … that points me towards Kirk Cousins as the best option there, and I think you can get a nice, little two-year window,” Jeremiah said, via Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney. Because when you bring back T.J. Watt, when you bring back [Cam] Heyward, that’s not … ‘Hey guys, we’re going to fool around and see if we can experiment with this JJ McCarthy thing, see if this hits for us here.’
“Once you’ve made that decision to kind of run with those guys … this feels like this is kind of a decision for the last of this ride of this group, and then we’ll go on and try to find the next one.”
Jeremiah’s argument was similar to what other pundits have stated with Cousins and the Steelers. But the NFL draft analyst concluded by going a step further.
“I would take Kirk Cousins over Aaron Rodgers.”
Cousins led the Atlanta Falcons to a 5-3 record while playing for an injured Michael Penix Jr. last season. He completed 61.7% of his throws for 6.4 yards per pass. He also had 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Cousins signed a 4-year, $180 million contract in free agency two years ago. The Falcons released the veteran halfway through the deal.
How Kirk Cousins Could Fit With Steelers
As Jeremiah explained, the Steelers have an older defense. Stars such as T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Jalen Ramsey are all at least 30 years old. Other veterans such as Patrick Queen and Alex Highsmith are on second contracts.
Those players, especially the first group, don’t have a lot of time for the Steelers to develop a quarterback. By the time that happens, the team’s defense could need rebuilding.
So, it makes sense for the Steelers to pair first-year head coach Mike McCarthy with a veteran signal-caller.
As far as Cousins being a superior option to Rodgers, that’s more debatable.
Rodgers is obviously the more accomplished quarterback. But clearly, Jeremiah shared that opinion based on what the two quarterbacks could do in 2026.
Rodgers was 10-6 as a starter during 2025. He threw 24 touchdowns versus seven interceptions while averaging 6.7 yards per pass.
But Rodgers will turn 43 years old during the 2026 season. The Steelers could be playing with fire to expect Rodgers to again play as well as he did last season.
Even counting on a quarterback at his age being healthy the entire season is risky.
What Will Aaron Rodgers Do for 2026 Season?
As pundits continue to debate alternatives to Rodgers, the Steelers are waiting for a decision from the 4-time MVP.
Insiders expected the quarterback to make a choice for the 2026 campaign before free agency. But that didn’t happen, and a decision doesn’t appear to be coming soon either.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported on March 17 a Rodgers decision should be coming “in the next few weeks.”
The Steelers have quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Will Howard under contract. That likely means they will only add one more signal-caller to their roster before the 2026 season.
Hopefully for the Steelers, alternatives such as Cousins are still available when Rodgers makes his decision.
Steelers Advised to Sign $180 Million QB Instead of Aaron Rodgers