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Steelers option at QB after Aaron Rodgers could be 49ers backup Mac Jones.

The Pittsburgh Steelers already know one thing about their quarterback situation beyond the 2026 season: they will need a new answer.

Aaron Rodgers has already announced that this will be his final NFL season after 22 years, making Pittsburgh one of the few playoff contenders that could enter the 2027 offseason with significant uncertainty at the game’s most important position.

That is why Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes the Steelers should be among the most aggressive teams pursuing San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones before the Nov. 3 trade deadline.

Moton recently listed Pittsburgh as one of five teams that should consider making a move if Jones becomes available.

The idea hinges on what happens in San Francisco over the next few months.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch, seventh-round rookie Kurtis Rourke could receive enough training camp opportunities to establish himself as Brock Purdy’s primary backup. If that happens, the 49ers may become more willing to move Jones before the deadline.

Steelers Receive Quarterback Succession Plan Proposal

Moton’s reasoning is straightforward.

Even if Rodgers delivers another productive season and guides Pittsburgh back to the playoffs, the Steelers could find themselves in a difficult position next spring.

Teams consistently picking in the back half of the draft rarely have easy access to elite quarterback prospects.

“The Steelers should be one of the more aggressive teams in pursuit of Jones,” Moton wrote.

Jones would not necessarily arrive as Pittsburgh’s unquestioned future starter, but he would provide another legitimate option.

The bigger obstacle may be San Francisco’s asking price.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt reported that the 49ers were seeking a second-round pick plus additional compensation in exchange for Jones. That price tag has reportedly scared teams away so far.

Still, contenders have shown a willingness to pay a premium for quarterbacks if they believe they’re only a move away from stabilizing the position.

Steelers Still Have Several Quarterback Questions

Pittsburgh’s current depth chart hardly provides long-term certainty.

Mason Rudolph is scheduled to become a free agent in 2027 and may also be a trade or cut candidate this season. Meanwhile, rookie third-round pick Drew Allar remains a developmental player.

According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Pittsburgh’s coaching staff is currently “uninstalling” many of the habits Allar developed in college at Penn State.

Then there is Will Howard, a 2025 sixth-round pick who has yet to appear in a regular-season game, missing all of last season with an injury.

That uncertainty may be exactly why Jones could make sense.

Rather than entering next offseason desperate to solve its quarterback situation, Pittsburgh could spend the remainder of this year evaluating Jones behind Rodgers before deciding whether he is worthy of a longer-term extension.

The Steelers may ultimately decide a second-round pick is too steep a price to pay.

But with Rodgers’ retirement already looming, Pittsburgh may not have the luxury of waiting until 2027 to begin searching for its next starting quarterback. Acquiring Jones before the trade deadline would at least give Pittsburgh another option instead of placing all of its hopes on two unproven young quarterbacks.