The Pittsburgh Steelers made it clear that they intend to be competitive in the 2026 season. And for their sake, they'd better hope Aaron Rodgers returns to the team after the ideal backup plan is officially off the table.
On Thursday, ESPN insider Adam Schefer posted a picture of former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in a Raiders jersey with the caption, "From Atlanta to Las Vegas.' Cousins will reportedly be joining the Raiders as a veteran option to pair with forthcoming first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza
And just like that, a Steelers team that desperately wants to avoid a tenth straight year without a playoff win is down to just one respectable option.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should have considered Kirk Cousins over Aaron Rodgers
Let's be honest: neither Cousins nor Rodgers is a great option to lead the charge for Pittsburgh at this stage of their NFL careers. Both quarterbacks suffered season-ending Achilles injuries during the 2023 season, and quite frankly, they haven't quite been the same ever since.
Age has also caught up with both quarterbacks. Rodgers is entering his age-43 season, while Cousins will turn 38 before the start of the 2026 season.
The combination of adequate play and a swift decline should have the Steelers heading in a different direction entirely—and starting Will Howard in 2026 isn't the worst idea. But team president Art Rooney II and general manager Omar Khan made it clear this offseason that they intend to compete.
Now they just lost one of the best starting-caliber options.
Cousins might have been straight-up a better option than Rodgers for the 2026 season. Both quarterbacks lack mobily and Rodgers still has a stronger arm (even in his 40s). However, Rodgers was afraid to hold onto the football as pressure mounted last season. Cousins will still stand tough in the pocket and go through progressions.
While Cousins' stats were hardly impressive in his eight starts last season, he led the Falcons to a 5-3 record, while finishing ahead of Rodgers in advanced stats like intended air yards per completion (7.0 to 6.0), completed air yards per completion (4.4 to 3.7), and success rate (44.3% to 42.9%).
Kirk Cousins is a low-level starter at this stage of his career... but so is Aaron Rodgers. And if Rodgers spurns the Steelers, they can kiss any chance of being competitive for the 2026 season goodbye.
Maybe it's for the best at this point to bite the bullet and aim toward the future in the position.