diff --git a/jwt/utils.py b/jwt/utils.py
index 81c5ee41..2a172e1b 100644
--- a/jwt/utils.py
+++ b/jwt/utils.py
@@ -133,24 +133,26 @@ def is_pem_format(key: bytes) -> bool:
 # Based on https://github.com/pyca/cryptography/blob/bcb70852d577b3f490f015378c75cba74986297b/src/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/serialization/ssh.py#L40-L46
 _CERT_SUFFIX = b"-cert-v01@openssh.com"
 _SSH_PUBKEY_RC = re.compile(rb"\A(\S+)[ \t]+(\S+)")
-_SSH_KEY_FORMATS = [
+_SSH_KEY_FORMATS = (
     b"ssh-ed25519",
     b"ssh-rsa",
     b"ssh-dss",
     b"ecdsa-sha2-nistp256",
     b"ecdsa-sha2-nistp384",
     b"ecdsa-sha2-nistp521",
-]
+)
 
 
 def is_ssh_key(key: bytes) -> bool:
-    if any(string_value in key for string_value in _SSH_KEY_FORMATS):
+    if key.startswith(_SSH_KEY_FORMATS):
         return True
 
-    ssh_pubkey_match = _SSH_PUBKEY_RC.match(key)
-    if ssh_pubkey_match:
-        key_type = ssh_pubkey_match.group(1)
-        if _CERT_SUFFIX == key_type[-len(_CERT_SUFFIX) :]:
-            return True
+    # Avoid the regex is the _CERT_SUFFIX is not in the key
+    if _CERT_SUFFIX in key:
+        ssh_pubkey_match = _SSH_PUBKEY_RC.match(key)
+        if ssh_pubkey_match:
+            key_type = ssh_pubkey_match.group(1)
+            if _CERT_SUFFIX == key_type[-len(_CERT_SUFFIX) :]:
+                return True
 
     return False
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index 122dcb4e..a83aff02 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
-from jwt.utils import force_bytes, from_base64url_uint, to_base64url_uint
+from jwt.utils import force_bytes, from_base64url_uint, is_ssh_key, to_base64url_uint
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -37,3 +37,9 @@ def test_from_base64url_uint(inputval, expected):
 def test_force_bytes_raises_error_on_invalid_object():
     with pytest.raises(TypeError):
         force_bytes({})  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+
+
+def test_is_ssh_key():
+    assert is_ssh_key(b"ecdsa-sha2-nistp256 any") is True
+    assert is_ssh_key(b"not a ssh key") is False
+    assert is_ssh_key(b"any-cert-v01@openssh.com any") is True