The Pittsburgh Steelers have their starting quarterback for the 2026 season. But that position is not solidified beyond this season, and it hasn’t been for years now. And there may be one surprise candidate out there for Pittsburgh to consider: Baker Mayfield.
Speaking this week, Mayfield mentioned he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t close on a contract extension. He also mentioned his own deadline, which includes the fact that he won’t talk to Tampa Bay about an extension anymore once training camp begins. If that happens and there’s no deal, the Buccaneers would either tag him next offseason or allow him to enter free agency.
If the latter option occurs, analyst Zach Gelb points to the Steelers as a prime destination.
“Two destinations just stand out to me. And they’re screaming at me, and lookin’ at you right in the face. And that’s the Minnesota Vikings, and the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Gelb said this week on his show. “You could also go to Pittsburgh, where you could shove it to Cleveland, who gave up on you, you could go to a respectable organization, a reputable organization like the Pittsburgh Steelers… You get to be coached by Mike McCarthy. DK Metcalf’s there. They just traded for Michael Pittman. And that’s a team that is going to need a quarterback.”
The Vikings and Steelers should be destinations Baker Mayfield is interested in, if he can’t get a deal done in Tampa Bay. pic.twitter.com/hSwDcg2ghS
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) June 5, 2026
There are some clear reasons why this might not happen. For one, Mayfield still has time to work out a contract extension. Like every other team, Tampa Bay won’t return to training camp until late July, giving him weeks to continue negotiations. And even if he doesn’t sign one, the Buccaneers could tag him to prevent him from going anywhere.
If Baker Mayfield came to Pittsburgh, that would mean another year on the bench for Will Howard and Drew Allar. Howard would be entering his third year, and Allar his second. There’s also the possibility that Pittsburgh chooses a quarterback in the 2027 draft instead, with Mike McCarthy looking to mold one for the future.
However, heading into what would be his age-32 season at that point, Mayfield wouldn’t be too old to contribute. And for a team that always wants to contend, he may be more attractive than an unproven young quarterback. Mayfield revitalized his career in Tampa Bay and should still have some quality years ahead of him. Both defensively and offensively, there might be enough talent in Pittsburgh to suffice.
For now, it’s a long shot. It remains to be seen whether Baker Mayfield would even be an option for Pittsburgh in 2027. But if he’s on the board, Gelb thinks the Steelers should take a hard look.
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