NFL Analyst Calls Steelers QB Option Better Than Aaron Rodgers

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are in need of a quarterback for the coming season after toiling through another season with mediocre quarterback play.

Aaron Rodgers led the team save for injury issues that led to Mason Rudolph playing, but the result was the same as the seasons that came before it, with ups and downs resulting in overall mediocrity.

With that in mind, the Steelers have whiffed or otherwise not targeted multiple quarterback options in free agency, and with an especially weak draft class for quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Steelers seem to be quickly running out of options. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah believes the Steelers should not pursue Rodgers once again, but go for another aging veteran in Kirk Cousins.

Jeremiah explained his thoughts on the Football America podcast.

"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. "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."

After talking about the Steelers' philosophy, Jeremiah issued his recommendation for a specific player to fill the void.

"...I would take Kirk Cousins over Aaron Rodgers," Jeremiah said.

Would Kirk Cousins Be A Mistake?

If the Steelers were to go forward with Cousins, it would likely be viewed as a large mistake. Despite a lack of hope in Michael Penix Jr., the Atlanta Falcons opted to go with him instead of Cousins due to Cousins' issues with turnovers, despite him being in good health.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on after being sacked during the first half of the NFL Wild Card game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026. | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Additionally, Cousins has had multiple long-term injuries in his career, and does not offer much when it comes to pocket presence. While he can still throw the ball quite far, his accuracy and lack of movement would be a major cause for concern.

The Steelers may be able to land him for quite a cheap deal, but it would offer more concern than upside, which is not the sort of move the Steelers have been known to make in recent years.

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