The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the 2026 offseason with a big question hanging over their heads - who’s going to be under center come Week 1? And while plenty of names are being tossed around, one veteran quarterback has made it clear he’s open to the idea of donning the black and gold: Joe Flacco.
Yes, that Joe Flacco - the same one who spent over a decade as the face of the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers’ fiercest rival. After recent stints with the Browns and Bengals, Flacco is now a free agent once again, and he’s not ruling anything out. Including Pittsburgh.
“I think it would be strange. I do think having a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey on would be a little more strange than even a Browns or Bengals jersey.
For whatever reason,” Flacco said this week on the BMore Sports Pod Podcast. “But I think at this point, I’m pretty much open for most things.
[That is] if I can see an opportunity in it.”
Now, let’s be real - the idea of Flacco in a Steelers uniform would’ve been unthinkable a few years ago. But the AFC North carousel has already seen him suit up for Cleveland and Cincinnati, so maybe nothing’s off the table anymore. If he were to land in Pittsburgh, Flacco would complete the rare feat of playing for all four teams in one of the NFL’s most physical divisions.
So, could it actually happen?
From a football standpoint, it’s not totally out of the question. Pittsburgh’s quarterback room is unsettled heading into 2026.
Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are currently in the mix, but neither has locked down the job or proven they’re a long-term answer. If the Steelers opt to roll with an open competition - especially in the event that Aaron Rodgers doesn't return - adding a seasoned vet like Flacco could make sense.
Flacco isn’t the long-term solution, but he’s shown he can still manage a game, push the ball downfield, and bring a calming presence to a young offense. He did just that in Cleveland, stepping in midseason and helping the Browns make a late playoff push. He’s not the same quarterback who won Super Bowl MVP back in 2012, but he’s still capable of giving a team quality snaps in the right situation.
That said, the Steelers have a veteran-heavy roster and no signs of entering a rebuild. If anything, they’re more likely to swing bigger - whether that’s through a splashy trade, a top-tier free agent signing, or a move up the draft board to grab a quarterback of the future. Flacco would be more of a stopgap option, a stabilizer rather than a spark.
Bottom line: Flacco will be on someone’s roster in 2026. He’s made it clear he’s not ready to hang it up just yet.
But unless Pittsburgh’s quarterback plans go sideways, it’s hard to see the Steelers being the team to call. Still, in a league where things change fast and rivalries fade when opportunity knocks, never say never.