Stephen A. Smith reacts to Steelers' reported interest in Kirk Cousins as Aaron Rodgers fallback option

As Aaron Rodgers continues to ponder his NFL future, another quarterback option for the Pittsburgh Steelers has emerged. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported Monday that Kirk Cousins is on the team’s radar should something “fall through” with Rodgers.

Cousins is currently under contract with the Atlanta Falcons but could be available for trade after being benched last season in favor of 2024 first round pick Michael Penix Jr. ESPN‘s Stephen A. Smith, a known Steelers fan, isn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of Pittsburgh acquiring Cousins.

“I don’t have any faith in Kirk Cousins, hell no. The only thing I can positively say about Kirk Cousins being a Pittsburgh Steelers is at least he’s won one playoff game since 2016; the Steelers have not. That’s the only thing that I can say,” Smith said on Tuesday’s First Take. “But in terms of his level of production compared to what we’re seeing from other quarterbacks in this league, compared to the quarterbacks we know exist in the AFC from [Patrick] Mahomes to [Joe] Burrow to Lamar Jackson to Josh Allen, let’s not forget C.J. Stroud, let’s not forget Justin Herbert, I mean, Tua Tagovailoa even. Everywhere you turn, it seems like everybody has a damn quarterback except the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“There’s nothing that excites me, that enamors me, that tickles me in any way about Kirk Cousins being a Pittsburgh Steeler. Nothing at all.”

Steelers establish QB backup plan in Kirk Cousins

Cousins, 36, signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in the 2024 offseason. Coming off a torn Achilles from the season prior, Cousins wasn’t the same quarterback in Atlanta as he was the previous six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins started 14 games, throwing for 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions on 66.9% passing.

Now the backup to Penix, Cousins carries a $40 million cap hit in 2025. Atlanta owes him $27.5 million in guaranteed salary. Cousins might not be the Pro Bowler he once was. But compared to Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson and Will Howard, the Steelers’ current quarterback room, Cousins feels like an upgrade.

But, again, Cousins is the backup plan. Rodgers, 41, remains the preferred option. With OTAs getting underway this week, it’s fair to wonder how much longer Pittsburgh is willing to wait for Rodgers to make a decision.

“A little while longer,” Steelers president Art Rooney II told Fowler. “I’ll say the same thing [as I said in April].”