The Pittsburgh Steelers will be in the market for a new starting quarterback once again after the 2025 season, but at least this time they know it now and can plan for it after starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers announced on The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday that he would likely be retiring after the season, ending a Hall of Fame career hopefully on a high note.
While next season will mark the sixth different starting quarterback to open the season in six years for the Steelers, Rodgers’ announcement gives the Steelers a chance to start preparing earlier than every other team — even this summer during training camp, getting a good look at the 2026 NFL Draft class at the position that has some promising names in it that could be the future franchise quarterback of the Steelers.
For ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, though, the 2026 opening-day starter for the Steelers could be on another roster within the AFC right now, just 360 miles west in the state of Indiana. That could be either veteran Daniel Jones, who signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts this offseason, or former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson, who finds himself at a crossroads in his NFL career.
In a piece for ESPN.com breaking down how the Rodgers announcement on Tuesday benefits the Steelers moving forward, Pryor floated the idea of a trade for Richardson or Jones.
“They could also go another route. Top-tier quarterbacks don’t often hit free agency, and 2026 isn’t an exception. Former first-round pick Daniel Jones, who signed a one-year deal in Indianapolis, is the best available free agent of the 2026 class so far,” Pryor writes regarding a possible option at quarterback next offseason for the Steelers. “Other quarterbacks, though, could become available in releases or trades. Anthony Richardson Sr., Indianapolis’ other quarterback and its 2023 first-round pick, is competing with Jones for the starting job.
“Whoever comes in second could be available.”
Pryor isn’t the first ESPN employee to float the idea of Anthony Richardson as the Steelers’ starting quarterback option in 2026. Kevin Clark stated as much a few weeks ago during an appearance on NFL Live, making the case for the big, strong, mobile quarterback with the cannon arm to be an option for the Steelers next offseason.
Jones was also a name floated this offseason for the Black and Gold before he signed with the Colts, giving him a chance to compete for a starting job in the AFC. They’re both experienced quarterbacks with some good moments in the NFL.
But both have struggled with injuries and consistency, and neither truly moves the needle at the quarterback position right now.
The Steelers have been stuck in purgatory at the most important position in sports. Five years and five different starting quarterbacks to open the season, featuring Ben Roethlisberger, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, and now Rodgers, have caused some difficult moments for the Steelers.
Now, though, thanks to the amount of draft picks they have at their disposal in 2026, the Steelers can afford to be aggressive and move up for one of the top signal-callers in the draft, instead of having to continue to go bargain shopping at the position.
Mason Rudolph should be on the roster next season in the final year of his two-year deal, which he signed this offseason. Same with rookie quarterback Will Howard, who is slated to be the No. 3 this season and can grow and develop under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, giving the Steelers another option at quarterback for 2026.
But it might be worth monitoring what happens in Indianapolis this summer at the quarterback position.
