NFL Rule Keeping Steelers QB Option Off Market

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers made several splashy moves to begin the 2026 NFL season, but they are still stuck figuring out the solution to their most pertinent issue.

The Steelers still do not have a starting quarterback on the roster. Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are the only two quarterbacks under contract currently, but the expectation is that the team is going to add one more name to the room.

The expectation is that Aaron Rodgers returns for a 22nd season in the NFL and second year with the Steelers, but another name that's been linked to the organization is former Arizona Cardinals top pick Kyler Murray. The Steelers might be waiting on one of these players, and if it's Murray, they have one more obstacle to overcome. The Cardinals have still not made Murray's release official, and as Ian Rapoport explained on Good Morning Football on NFL Network, the rest of the league is stuck waiting for a chance to speak with him.

"Teams that are interested," he said on . "They have not yet been able to speak with him. I expect that to ramp up (tomorrow) when his release is official. But until and unless the Arizona Cardinals go public with their plans to say goodbye to Kyler Murray, he's stuck in a little bit of a limbo situation."

From @GMFB: #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray looms as one of the biggest names out there. pic.twitter.com/e2OpdIcE4g
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2026

Steelers Waiting at QB

The biggest takeaway from the first day of the legal tampering period is that there is room for debate. Days ago, there was no doubt that Rodgers was returning. Then, he switched the narrative by bucking some of the claims that had been previously made.

What no one knows for certain, except for Rodgers and the Steelers' management, is why things haven't progressed. Rodgers claims there have been no serious progressions in contract talks, but general manager Omar Khan stated that things wouldn't go like it did last year.

So far, they are going exactly like they did last year. The Steelers are waiting for Rodgers. Unless, it's not Rodgers they are waiting for.

Oct 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) makes a throw against the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Is Murray the Target?

Maybe it's Murray. The rumored destination is the Minnesota Vikings, which makes a ton of sense. Kevin O'Connell is a natural choice to help revive the former first-overall pick.

But maybe, just maybe, it's the Steelers who are the team chomping at the bit for the Cardinals to release him. What if they want their shot to speak with him and work out a deal before pivoting back to Rodgers?

If that's their plan, they have to keep waiting for Arizona to accomplish step one.

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