With Aaron Rodgers yet to announce his retirement, and his potential return to the Steelers still uncertain, many have begun considering free agent replacements for the future Hall of Famer. One candidate mentioned was former Vikings and Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins. However, after Cousins signed with Las Vegas, Rodgers appears more likely to return to Pittsburgh.
Mike Florio Believes Aaron Rodgers Will Return to Pittsburgh
On Friday, April 3, NFL insider Mike Florio took to his show, Pro Football Talk on NBC, to discuss Cousins’ recent move to the Raiders, and what it means for Rodgers, who remains a free agent.
He stated, “Now, maybe this move reflects knowledge by Kirk Cousins and or his agent that Aaron Rodgers is indeed going to return to Pittsburgh.”
Florio then expanded on that logic. He added, “I don’t know what the etiquette is among veteran quarterbacks on the wrong side of 35, but I don’t think it would be unreasonable for Kirk Cousins to pick up the phone and call Aaron Rodgers. They know each other from their time. It wasn’t many years, but it was 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022. It’s five years. They were home and home rivals every year with the Packers and the Vikings.”
“Cousins calls up Rodgers, assuming Rodgers isn’t at his home in Malibu where the cell service, for whatever reason, is non-existent, and says, ‘Hey, look, they’re kind of interested in me in Pittsburgh, but it all hinges on what you’re going to do. I’ve got other options. Can you just let me know? I won’t tell anybody. Just let me know, because if you are, I’m going to go elsewhere.'”
Florio concluded by saying, “I think you have to at least do that due diligence, because I believe that Kirk Cousins should have been, would have been, could have been on the radar in Pittsburgh. If you can’t get Aaron Rodgers, I’d have preferred Kirk Cousins to Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. So that may be an indication that this Rodgers thing is a done deal in Pittsburgh.”
In summary, Florio hints that Cousins may have discussed his plans with Rodgers to determine whether Rodgers would return to the Steelers in 2026.
If such a conversation took place, Cousins likely learned that he should pursue other options, as Rodgers intends to re-sign with Pittsburgh this offseason.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
The Steelers’ current quarterback room features veteran Mason Rudolph and soon-to-be second-year man Will Howard. To put it bluntly, it is crucial that the franchise retain Rodgers if they want a legitimate chance at competing in the AFC North next year.
According to PFSN’s metrics, Rodgers posted a 71.4 impact score, ranking 29th among all signal-callers in 2025. While not at the MVP level he was many years ago, he is undoubtedly a starting quarterback in the NFL and should be that for the Steelers heading into his age-42 season in 2026.
