The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the 2026 season with a future Hall of Famer at quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. The 42-year-old is set to play his second year with the Black and Gold before he retires following the season's end. The Steelers have yet to find a young franchise quarterback of the future after failed attempts post-Ben Roethlisberger and various Band-Aid veteran signal-callers under center. Once Rodgers retires, Pittsburgh will have to find a new gunslinger once again.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Pittsburgh, PA.
With the Steelers' quarterback plans for the future being unclear, next year is lingering in many fans' minds. With Rodgers being a solid safety net for 2026, young QBs Will Howard and Drew Allar haven't proven anything in the NFL, and throwing either of them to the fire would be a risky move. Pittsburgh always wants to be competitive, and playing a young quarterback right away would detract from that plan.
With many major contract negotiations underway for many NFL teams, there is one high-level signal-caller who is unhappy with his contract situation. He would play right into the Steelers' trend of veteran quarterbacks, but this time, he'll be in the prime of his career. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio suggested on his show that the Steelers go after the star.
"Baker Mayfield would be perfect in Pittsburgh. He would be perfect. I know they'd like to get off this train of older veteran quarterbacks, but I mean, he's a spring chicken in comparison to Aaron Rodgers. I would make a beeline for Baker Mayfield. If I'm Mike McCarthy and I'm the Pittsburgh Steelers and I get through this season and my options are Will Howard, Drew Allar, and Mason Rudolph, I am doing whatever it takes to get Baker Mayfield in Pittsburgh," Florio said.
The fit would make sense. Mayfield is coming off two tremendous seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his gritty play style would fit the mold of a Steelers quarterback.
Chris O'Meara / ap photo
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield winds up to throw in warmups during a 2024 preseason matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
Mayfield is currently in the final year of his three-year, $100 million contract with the Bucs. He's reportedly unhappy with how extension talks are unfolding, as he'll be a free agent in 2027. Pittsburgh will have to play around with its cap space, but making the veteran quarterback an offer would be smart, as the young signal-callers currently on the roster aren't quite ready yet. Mayfield racked up 3,693 yards and 26 passing touchdowns in 2025, and in 2024, he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 passing touchdowns. It's clear that the Buccaneers have unlocked the quarterback, and the Steelers could use a gunslinger of his caliber.
How Could The Steelers Pull This Off?
The Steelers have to hope that Mayfield and the Buccaneers are too far off an extension. With Mayfield carrying a cap hit of nearly $40 million this year, and an average annual salary of $33 million, the Black and Gold will probably have to cough up close to $50 million a year for the quarterback. That seems impossible, but there are ways for the Steelers to get this done. One starts with letting one of their edge rushers go, whether that be TJ Watt or Alex Highsmith; the two of them are both making a hefty chunk of change, with Watt being the most expensive.
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Steelers outside linebacker TJ Watt (90) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
With that being just one example, the Steelers would have to restructure some of their contracts. If they want to make a big splash at the position and set themselves up to get over the hump, they have to spend. Otherwise, they'll have to play a young quarterback or another older veteran. Is it time for Steelers brass to make a huge, franchise-altering move at quarterback?
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