Can Steelers Now Land Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are flying high at the moment, having clinched the AFC North with a 26-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 that ended in dramatic fashion with a missed 44-yard field goal by Tyler Loop.

As a result, Pittsburgh is preparing to face off against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round of the playoffs and will look to snap its six-game postseason losing streak.

At 42-years-old, it's unclear whether or not Aaron Rodgers will return to the NFL next season. Though that's not currently the main focus for either him or the Steelers, it's a pertinent question that needs to be addressed in the near future.

Should the four-time MVP not play for Pittsburgh in 2026 for one reason or another, the franchise would once again be in the market for a quarterback. It's unlikely it'll find a franchise option in the draft barring a trade to the very top of the board, meaning the available veterans must suffice.

Elsewhere in the AFC North, some doubts have been raised regarding the long-term statuses of Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow with the Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively.

Even if they were on the trade block, though, which is not a probable scenario in the slightest, the Steelers would have just about zero chance of landing either player despite making sense as a landing spot on paper.

Jan 4, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) looks to pass against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Outlining the Situation

Baltimore is set for a major organizational overhaul. Following its heartbreaking loss to the Steelers and subsequent elimination from the playoffs, it parted ways with head coach John Harbaugh after spending 18 years together.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Ravens' decision to move on from Harbaugh was in part due to the fact that ownership felt he lost the locker room, including Jackson.

From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: The #Ravens parted ways with John Harbaugh today and among the reasons -- They felt he lost the locker room. Including, but not limited to, Lamar Jackson. pic.twitter.com/ssAUrHE799
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2026

With Harbaugh out of the picture, it would appear that a potential departure of Jackson is off the table at the moment. The two-time MVP is in line for an extension and is carrying a cap hit of $74.5 million for the 2026 campaign, per Over the Cap, while having two years left on his current deal to go alongside a no-trade clause.

Burrow and the Bengals, meanwhile, have missed the playoffs for three-straight seasons in a row. The 29-year-old, who missed nine games this year due to turf toe, stated that this offseason is "as big as it gets" for the franchise, per The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr.

With four years remaining on his five-year, $275 million contract, it would come as a surprise if Burrow were to be moved by Cincinnati in the coming months.

Why Steelers' Chances Are Close to Zero

Jackson and Burrow are among the top quarterbacks in the league and would send shockwaves if they were to ask for a trade.

From where we stand today, though, neither player seems to be nearing that point. And even if they were, as stated before, the Steelers simply wouldn't have much of a shot to land them.

Pittsburgh has a ton of draft capital with a projected 12 picks this spring while owning all of its Day 1 and 2 selections for the next three years while also having a roster that's ready to compete.

The issue, though, is that neither the Ravens or the Bengals would ever, in a million years, be willing to trade a franchise-altering talent behind center to their division rivals.

For as appealing of a destination as the Steelers are, or at least can be, Jackson and Burrow won't have the chance to join them because of the extenuating circumstances.

While it's a fun hypothetical, Pittsburgh will have to look elsewhere for its next quarterback if Rodgers doesn't return in 2026.

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