The Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings both have a huge question mark at the quarterback position beyond 2025.
The Steelers are currently starting Aaron Rodgers, but the 41-year-old (42 on Dec. 2) could retire following the season, which would leave Pittsburgh with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard as their starting options in 2026.
In Minnesota, J.J. McCarthy is not living up to expectations in his first season as the starter and if things don't improve the rest of the way, the Vikings will be in a tough spot in 2026.
Knowing all that, USA TODAY's Jacob Camenker named the Steelers and Vikings as possible landing spots for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones in 2026.
"The Steelers aren't likely to be in range for one of the draft's top quarterbacks, so trading for Jones could end up being a solid stopgap. The 27-year-old would be a natural replacement for Rodgers, as their present tendencies are similar," Camenker said of the Steelers. "Both quarterbacks prefer to utilize the short passing game to get the ball out of their hands quickly and get the ball to their playmakers in stride."
"Consider this hypothetical situation as similar to the one the Indianapolis Colts had with Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson during the 2025 offseason," Camenker said of the Vikings. "The younger passer (McCarthy) may have more upside, but the well-traveled veteran (Mac Jones) may be able to better unlock the team's potential."
A former first-round pick of the New England Patriots, Jones failed to cement himself as the long-term answer there before being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024.
Jones showed improvement in Jacksonville, but he has fully revived his career in San Francisco this season after playing well in place of an injured Brock Purdy en route to leading the Niners to a 5-3 mark in his eight starts.
Despite his impressive play, the Niners aren't going to abandon Purdy as the future of the franchise for Jones after signing the former to a $265 million contract.
So, the 49ers will have to decide if they want to keep Jones, who is under contract in 2026, as an insurance policy for Purdy or if they want to do right by Jones and trade him to a team that inquires about his services and gives him a chance to start.
If Rodgers retires, the Steelers could definitely be one of those teams. Jones would be a perfect stopgap option for Pittsburgh that would allow them to continue to compete while developing a young quarterback behind him.
With the Vikings, Jones could compete for the starting job with McCarthy in the offseason if Minnesota doesn't want to hand him the job.
Or, if the Vikings do make McCarthy the unquestioned starter, Jones will serve as an insurance policy in case the Michigan product falters.
If Jones had his pick, he would likely choose the Steelers, as they offer a clearer path to a starting job if Rodgers does indeed hang up his cleats.
However, the Vikings also have a much better supporting cast, so there's more upside for Jones in Minnesota.
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