The Pittsburgh Steelers have multiple irons in the fire when it comes to finding a new starting quarterback for next season.
The team has made no serious overtures to retain Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Jets last week.
Pittsburgh’s reportedly all-in on free agent Aaron Rodgers, though reports indicate that he’s in no hurry to make a decision about next season. The Steelers have also been linked to veterans Joe Flacco and Jameis Winston, and it’s not out of the question that they could take a passer early in next month’s draft.
Though the Steelers are reportedly OK with Rodgers dragging his feet in giving them an answer, legendary coach Bill Cowher, who led Pittsburgh to a 149-90-1 record and Super Bowl championship in 15 seasons as the team’s head coach, believes the team should tread very carefully in its pursuit of the four-time MVP.
“Can he still throw it? Yes,” Cowher said on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Thursday. “Is he mobile enough? I think so. But does he really want to play? I mean, the longer you wait, you just have to wonder. Where is his heart, and how much does he really want to do it?
“When somebody starts talking about retirement, they’ve already checked the box, so they’ve already checked out to some degree. So how much is he motivated to want to come here and be a part of trying to win a championship and consequently being a bridge to the next guy?”
"I personally think that Russell Wilson is your best choice."
– @CowherCBS on who the starting QB should be for the Steelers next season. pic.twitter.com/EHx6CvqSTj
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) March 18, 2025
Cowher says there’s still a chance Rodgers ends up in Pittsburgh, but he believes it’ll require the team’s decision-makers to regularly keep checking in with him.
“I think he’s motivated to play, and I think at the same time, where does he want to play?” Cowher added. “Those are conversations that you’ve got to be convinced that’s where his heart is at. You have to have constant communication with him from that standpoint.”
There’s still a chance that Rodgers decides he doesn’t want to come back for a 21st season and opts to retire.
But there’s also some around the league who believe the 41-year-old doesn’t want to go out on a somber note. Rodgers went just 5-12 with the Jets in 2024, and some insiders have speculated that he could be enticed to take over the starting job on a playoff team that just added star wideout DK Metcalf.
