Jan 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy (left) speaks at a press conference introducing him as the next head coach of the Steelers as general manager Omar Khan (right) listens in at PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium.. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

No Matter What, Steelers Can't Sign This QB

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Mar 26, 2026 6:00 PM ET

The quarterback position continues to be a haunting issue for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As the organization waits for an answer from Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers have no other obvious starter on the roster.

The Steelers also have limited options to pivot to, should Rodgers not return to Pittsburgh in 2026. Perhaps the best remaining free agent is 37-year-old veteran Kirk Cousins. With 174 games of NFL experience and over 44,000 career passing yards, he would make sense as a stopgap option if the team has no third QB on the roster.

Under no circumstances at all should the Steelers sign Cousins.

Why Not Cousins?

Kirk Cousins has been a solid quarterback during his career. He's thrown for 25 touchdowns or more in eight seasons as a starter in the NFL.

The productivity is not the problem. Of the available options remaining, Cousins is the most accomplished.

The problem is that Cousins is just a worse version of Aaron Rodgers.

The problem is that Cousins has thrown for 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions over his last 22 starts. The problem is that he's gone 12-10 in those starts with the Atlanta Falcons.

There was a time when Cousins could lead a team to a playoff record. That time is in the past, and now Cousins is a player who, at best, can play .500 football.

If the Steelers are interested in playing average football in 2026, then pivoting to Cousins is a great idea. It won't be bad, but it certainly won't be good. That's the Cousins guarantee.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Just Let the Kid Play

If the Steelers don't have Rodgers under center in 2026, any chance of them being a winning team go out the window. Even with Rodgers on board, it's far from a guarantee, but the future Hall of Famer showed last year that he can still do enough to bring a team to the postseason.

If it's not Rodgers, the Steelers have to commit to an in-house solution.

If Rodgers retires or does not return, the Steelers have to start Will Howard. The second-year player spent the 2025 campaign learning behind Rodgers and Rudolph.

Is he a franchise quarterback? Odds are he probably is not. But the Steelers value the 2025 sixth-round pick, and if they have no obvious number one QB, they have to see what they have in Howard.

However things go, there's just one thing that's crystal clear. The Steelers cannot, under any circumstance, bring in Kirk Cousins.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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