Steelers May Be Surprised As New Team Emerges To Take One Of Pittsburgh’s Top Free Agents

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of work to do when the free agency period opens in March. There will be plenty of players who will have to decide whether or not to remain with the team, and some of these players were important pieces to the 2025 roster. Other teams can make offers for the free agents who last played with the Steelers, and some of these players will undoubtedly choose another team, whether Pittsburgh likes it or not. 

One of the most critical free agents on the Steelers’ roster is quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He hasn't made his future plans known yet, and even though the Steelers have given him a rough deadline on a decision, the truth is that Rodgers will likely end up taking his time on a decision. There are plenty of people around the league who believe that Rodgers coming back to the Steelers would hurt the team, however, a new team has emerged as a potential landing spot for Rodgers should he decide to leave Pittsburgh.

Henry McKenna, an NFL reporter for Fox Sports, recently published an article regarding the best fits for eight veteran quarterbacks, one of those being Rodgers. In his section discussing the four-time NFL MVP, McKenna not only lists the reasons why Rodgers isn't the best fit for the Steelers, but reveals a team that would be better suited for the veteran’s services.

"But something tells me that the Cardinals will be interested in him," McKenna wrote. "Arizona’s new coach Mike LaFleur is Matt LaFleur’s brother, and of course, Matt coached Rodgers in Green Bay. While it wasn’t always the happiest marriage, it was telling that Rodgers stood up for Matt when his job security came under fire. I think that might have built a bridge between Rodgers and the LaFleur family that could land the QB in Arizona for 2026."

The idea of General Manager Monti Ossenfort and the Arizona Cardinals landing Rodgers as their quarterback in 2026 is an interesting one, but the ties he has with their new head coach Mike LaFleur might be too good to pass up. Should Rodgers end up passing the point of no return with the Steelers' new front office, the Cardinals might end up being one of few teams that could show any interest in the veteran quarterback for that very reason.

For what it's worth, Rodgers was not a bad quarterback in the 2025 NFL season. His presence in the Cardinals’ locker room would certainly be an upgrade, especially with the questions surrounding their current quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray only played five games in 2025 before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The Cardinals seem prepared to move on from Murray and find a new solution at quarterback, and the relationship between Rodgers and LaFleur could be a factor in the Cardinals potentially landing him.

Even though several Steelers players would love to see Rodgers return, there is still plenty of uncertainty with Rodgers' overall plans. He may end up wanting to make the Steelers happy and re-sign with them before free agency begins, or he may end up making the Steelers impatient, forcing their hand. There is a lot that still has to happen, but no matter what, the Steelers need to move forward with the same goal in mind. 

Steelers Need To Build Around Their Starting Quarterback In 2026

Regardless of whether Rodgers comes back or not, the Steelers need to concentrate on building around whoever the starting quarterback is in 2026. There are still many holes that need to be filled on the offensive side of the ball, and taking care of those problems would help any quarterback. The Steelers may have a question mark at quarterback, but they can ease their concerns about the position by filling in the gaps first.

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