The Pittsburgh Steelers say they feel confident that Aaron Rodgers will sign with them at some point this offseason. Whether he does or not, it’s hard to deny that many lack confidence in the Steelers’ current quarterback situation. At this point, it has to be Rodgers for the Steelers. Their offseason moves have dictated as much. If it’s not, then the Steelers might not have much of a choice as to who their Plan B is. At the moment, Kirk Cousins looks like the only other option at the position this offseason.
FOX Sports’ Emmanuel Acho doesn’t think Cousins is going to light up the league in 2025. However, he does think the veteran quarterback could still lead the Steelers to the playoffs.
“Who else could it be?” Acho asked Thursday on FS1’s The Facility. “For as bad as Kirk Cousins was last year — he was bad enough to get benched for a rookie — [he was] 7-7 for the Atlanta Falcons, tied for the most wins the Falcons have had since 2017. If you can take that to Pittsburgh, they’ll still make the playoffs, which is more than I think I can say for Mason Rudolph.”
It’s hardly a ringing endorsement from Acho. Yet, it is a good representation of the mood surrounding the quarterback position in Pittsburgh right now. If Rodgers decides to retire, Cousins is the Steelers’ only other option. Really, no matter which one ends up in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are going to have to try and solve this quarterback riddle again next year.
Looking back at his 2024 season, it’s easy to feel lackluster about Kirk Cousins. It was easily the worst statistical season of his career since he became a starter. Cousins completed 66.9 percent of his passes, threw for 3,508 yards, with 18 touchdowns and a league-leading 16 interceptions. His passer rating of 88.6 was poor as well.
Atlanta was a tricky situation for Cousins. Signing a massive contract to be the starter, it surprised him when the Falcons drafted a quarterback in the first round less than two months later. Add that Cousins was coming off a season-ending Achilles injury, and the context makes his numbers feel a little better.
However, he did have plenty of weapons to work with, and throwing 16 interceptions is a problem. He couldn’t make a real playoff push in a division significantly easier than the AFC North. Another wrinkle in all of this is that Cousins has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would have to waive it if the Steelers wanted to acquire him.
All things considered, there are things to like and dislike regarding Cousins. The reality of the situation, though, is that the Steelers might find themselves without another choice.
