Kirk Cousins, who signed the largest contract in 2024 NFL free agency, was reportedly courted by the team that signed a quarterback to the smallest contract of the offseason. It’s a wild tale, but it’s reportedly true.
Before Cousins inked his four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, he was considering an offer to return to the Minnesota Vikings. Yet, the Pittsburgh Steelers also showed interest in the four-time Pro Bowl QB.
According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the Steelers considered several different quarterbacks this offseason, including reuniting Ryan Tannehill with his former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The Steelers also gave what’s being described as a “cursory look” at signing Cousins too.
However, the Cousins pursuit didn’t last long. Pittsburgh decided to move on after promptly realizing the 35-year-old QB coming off an Achilles injury was out of their price range. Being that he landed $100 million in guaranteed money, compared to signing Russell Wilson to a $1.21 million contract, it’s safe to say the Steelers saved a lot of dough.
Even if the Steelers had been willing to come closer to meeting Cousins’ asking price, there’s no guarantee he would have chosen Pittsburgh’s situation over what he found in Atlanta with a group of young weapons ready to fly all over the field. Heck, even the Vikings weren’t the right fit, and they have Justin Jefferson. Ultimately, the Steelers still ended up with a very strong quarterback room, and they didn’t have to break the bank while doing so.
Related: See where Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson land in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB Rankings