Steelers Pursue $84M Pro Bowl QB, Move On From Aaron Rodgers

In a bold twist that’s raising eyebrows across the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers are being urged to move on from Aaron Rodgers and pursue $84M Pro Bowl QB

The pitch is part of a list titled “1 Trade Every NFL Team Should Offer Before 2025 Season”, and for the Steelers, the proposal is blunt: cut ties with Rodgers and go after a more stable, consistent, and healthier option in Cousins, even if it costs $84 million guaranteed.

“The Steelers went all-in with Aaron Rodgers, but there’s still time to correct course,” Bleacher Report wrote.
“Kirk Cousins offers reliability, leadership, and a cleaner bill of health.”

Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, is coming off an Achilles injury himself — but unlike Rodgers, he’s already practicing again and has a track record of being available, accurate, and productive in regular-season play. Last season with the Vikings, Cousins posted a 103.8 passer rating before the injury and was on pace for another 4,000-yard season.

The logic behind this suggestion is layered. Rodgers is now 41, still recovering, and hasn’t played a full season since 2021. While his presence boosts ticket sales and media attention, his long-term future is murky — and Pittsburgh’s roster, stacked with young talent, may be better suited to a steady hand like Cousins.

“This isn’t about star power,” the report argues. “It’s about maximizing the roster’s window before it closes.”

Adding fuel to the fire, Mason Rudolph and rookie Will Howard have both received positive reviews during OTAs, and there’s now a legitimate QB competition brewing — one that Rodgers hasn’t directly participated in.

Fan reactions are, unsurprisingly, divided. Some believe it’s reckless to move on from Rodgers before he takes a single snap, while others argue that the best teams know when to pivot — and that Cousins could provide a cleaner path forward.

It’s unclear if the Falcons would even entertain a trade for Cousins, but as Bleacher Report points out, the NFL rarely sticks to script — and if Pittsburgh feels Rodgers isn’t physically or mentally ready to lead a playoff run, this might not be the wildest idea on the table.