Pelissero: Steelers Wanted To Trade For Kirk Cousins In 2025

In an interview on The Rich Eisen Show, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero mentioned the Steelers had some interest in trading for QB Kirk Cousins last year when he was with the Falcons and that could be rekindled if the Steelers find themselves in need of a starter. 

“Kirk Cousins is the one, and I know that they called on him last year, and the Falcons at the time didn’t want to trade him. Didn’t want to engage in trade talks, but now Kirk Cousins is free,” Pelissero said. “Cousins potentially could be an option if they pivot away from Aaron Rodgers, which hasn’t happened yet.”

Atlanta was moving forward with QB Michael Penix Jr. as the starter at the time, which made Cousins expendable. However, reports indicated that Atlanta refused to meet teams in the middle and eat enough of Cousins’ guaranteed salary to facilitate a trade.

He ended up spending the whole season with the Falcons, returning to the starting lineup after Penix’s ACL injury. 

Now that Cousins is free, released by the team, there has been some dot-connecting between him and the Steelers, who are one of the few teams that have not added to their quarterback room yet this offseason. 

Once again, the Steelers find themselves waiting on a decision from Rodgers on whether to play or not. That situation stretched into June last year, although Pittsburgh felt fairly confident all along that Rodgers would join them after the offseason program. 

Cousins is expected to be patient in the hopes of securing a starting opportunity at some point down the line. That could come with the Steelers if things fall through with Rodgers. 

Cousins, 37, is a former fourth-round pick of Washington back in 2012. He played out the final year of his rookie contract before being franchised in back-to-back seasons. 

Cousins later departed in free agency for a three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings. He was entering the final year of his contract in 2020 when he agreed to a two-year, $66 million contract extension. In 2021, he agreed to a new one-year, $35 million contract extension that was also fully guaranteed.

He was in the final year of that deal in 2023 and was testing the market as an unrestricted free agent when signing with the Falcons this offseason. He inked a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million in guaranteed money. 

In 2025, Cousins appeared in 10 games for the Falcons, starting eight, and completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.

We’ll have more on Cousins as the news is available.