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When it comes to who will be playing behind center for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026, it’s anyone’s guess at this point.
That’s due to a couple of factors.
For one, bringing in new head coach Mike McCarthy changes the entire approach of the team now that Mike Tomlin is gone. Secondly, much of the decision appears to hinge on whether Aaron Rodgers wants to return for a second season in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers are currently in a wait-and-see mode with the 42-year-old, with conflicting reports on whether he plans to come back.
If he doesn’t, Pittsburgh will be left sorting through a number of potential options — either in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft.
Another possibility, as Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggests, is trading for a quarterback.
Steelers Linked to Trade for Kyler Murray
The trade Knox proposes involves Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. In this scenario, the Steelers would send a 2026 seventh-round pick and a conditional 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for the former No. 1 overall selection.
“This hypothetical trade might shake up the quarterback market more than any other, aside from a deal involving the Raiders and Mendoza,” Knox wrote.
“The Arizona Cardinals appear to be nearing the end of their experiment with 2019 first overall pick Kyler Murray.”
Shortly after the regular season ended, reports surfaced that Arizona and Murray could be headed toward a split, with the remaining structure of his contract viewed as a sticking point. A pre-June 1 trade would leave the Cardinals with a $17.9 million dead cap hit, while a post-June 1 designation would spread $34.9 million across the next two seasons, according to Spotrac.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are projected to have the eighth-most cap space in the league at $44.7 million.
“Murray’s base salary of $22.8 million wouldn’t cripple the Steelers, and a trade would save $34.7 million in cap space for the Cardinals,” Knox continued. “A deal could also have a major domino effect on the rest of the quarterback market.”
In this scenario, the draft would likely shift as well, with Pittsburgh no longer needing to consider Alabama’s Ty Simpson — who has frequently been projected to the Steelers at No. 21 overall.
Kyler Murray Needs a Fresh Start
After seven seasons in Arizona, it may be time for a change of scenery for Murray. He has just one winning season in his career and has completed only three full seasons due to injuries. He’s 38-48-1 as a starter.
Last year, Murray played in five games, going 2-3 as a starter after suffering a foot injury in Week 5 of the 2025 season.
That came under former head coach Jonathan Gannon, who has since been dismissed. In his place is Mike LaFleur, who has not publicly outlined his plans at quarterback.
When healthy, Murray has shown flashes of why he was taken No. 1 overall in 2019. If he were to land in Pittsburgh under McCarthy, it could prove to be an ideal pairing.
McCarthy has long been known for getting the most out of his quarterbacks — whether it was Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay or Dak Prescott in Dallas.
Shane Shoemaker Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker
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