Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is widely expected to retire after the 2026 season, and that is where things get complicated. The Steelers have Drew Allar, Will Howard, and Mason Rudolph waiting in the wings, but whether any of them can lead a franchise long-term is very much an open question. NFL analyst Mike Florio has a clear answer to that, and it does not involve any of the current roster options. His pick? Baker Mayfield.
What did Mike Florio say about Baker Mayfield and the Steelers?
Baker Florio did not mince words. On a recent segment, he made his case directly, saying:“Baker Mayfield would be perfect in Pittsburgh. He would be perfect. I know they would like to get off this train of older veteran quarterbacks, but, I mean, he’s a spring chicken compared to Aaron Rodgers. I would make a bee line for Baker Mayfield. If I’m Mike McCarthy and I’m the Steelers and I get through this season and my options are Drew Allar, Will Howard and Mason Rudolph, I am doing whatever it takes to get Baker Mayfield in Pittsburgh.“That is a pretty ringing endorsement. And Florio’s argument has some logic behind it. Mayfield is younger than Rodgers by a significant margin and has already shown he can reset his career after most people counted him out. His turnaround in Tampa Bay was one of the better quarterback stories of recent memory. The Steelers, an organisation that has historically valued experienced, tough-minded signal callers, could see Mayfield as a natural fit.
Is Baker Mayfield actually available, and what would it cost Pittsburgh?
This is where it gets interesting. Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026. Extension talks have publicly stalled, and Mayfield has already said that if no deal is done before the season kicks off, negotiations will be put on hold until after the year ends. That posture tells you something: he is not desperate to stay in Tampa, and he knows his market.Mayfield originally signed a three-year, $100 million deal with the Buccaneers after reviving his career there. But the quarterback market has shifted considerably since then. Reports indicate he will be looking for at least $50 million per season if he hits free agency in 2027. For Pittsburgh, that is not a small commitment, especially when you factor in rebuilding around a new offensive identity.Still, if the Steelers finish the 2026 season without a clear answer at quarterback, the calculus changes fast. Pittsburgh has always been willing to spend when the right player is available. And if Rodgers walks away and none of Allar, Howard, or Rudolph separates himself as a legitimate starter, the organisation will be looking at their options with urgency.For now, nothing between Mayfield and Pittsburgh is real. It is analyst speculation, and there are a lot of variables that need to break a certain way before this becomes an actual conversation. But the underlying logic Florio is pointing to is not wrong. The Steelers need a quarterback. Mayfield could be on the market. Sometimes the most obvious solutions are the ones that actually happen.