The Pittsburgh Steelers' fan base is anxiously awaiting some insight into what the quarterback position is going to look like during the 2026 season. Aaron Rodgers is still making up his mind on whether or not he is going to want to retire, and other than that, he is scheduled to be a free agent. Even if he does decide to continue his playing career, it does not have to be in Pittsburgh. Regardless of that, many believe the four-time league MVP will be back in the black and gold in 2026, but that might not stop the organization from drafting a quarterback for the second year in a row.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers runs with the football during the regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens in 2025.
The Steelers' quarterback room in 2025 consisted of Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, and Will Howard. Rudolph and Howard are both under contract in 2026, but that does not rule out the organization using a draft pick on the position again, even with a Rodgers return. The Steelers probably won't be drafting a quarterback in the first round, but selecting one on Day 2 or 3 certainly seems possible. Beat writer Brian Batko drew an interesting parallel in his recent mailbag for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he identified a connection between Drew Allar and Steelers Quarterbacks Coach Tom Arth.
"Did you know Allar’s second scholarship offer came from Akron, whose head coach at the time was Tom Arth, the current Steelers quarterbacks coach who also offered Will Howard in high school?" Batko asked. "I’m just throwing it out there. Speaking of Howard, he’s a Philadelphia-area kid who wound up playing for Ohio State. Allar is an Ohio native who took his talents to Penn State. Maybe the universe should bring them together in Pittsburgh. Again, I’m just throwing it out there."
Arth was one of the few coaches that was retained on the staff by new head coach Mike McCarthy, as the two had a preexisting relationship. Arth has served in that role for the Steelers since the 2024 offseason, and he is liked by Rodgers. He could be part of the reason that the veteran quarterback would decide to return to the Steelers, and he also has a relationship with Howard.
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Steelers Quarterbacks Coach Tom Arth (left) and signal-caller Will Howard stand alongside one another during a 2025 practice at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
Arth was the head coach at Akron from 2019 through 2021, which means he was heavily involved in the recruiting scene. As a college head coach in Ohio, he was recruiting heavily within the state and the surrounding area, which meant he was looking around Ohio and Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is where he found Howard, who ultimately wound up committing to play at Kansas State. Arth then recruited Allar, who is from a town that is somewhat close to Akron. He of course decided to play at Penn State.
Allar has been talked about a lot as a quarterback prospect over the last two seasons, and he probably hurt himself by not leaving Penn State to enter the draft following the 2024 season. 2025 was a disaster for the quarterback as his play seemed to regress, the team underperformed, and he suffered a broken ankle.
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Penn State QB Drew Allar getting ready to throw the football.
Steelers Could Take A Chance On Drew Allar
The existing connection between Arth and Allar could lead to him being selected by the Steelers. He is a hard prospect to gauge, especially after underperforming in nearly every big game of his college career. However, he has the raw tools and athletic abilities that are very intriguing to NFL organizations. Josh Allen kind of broke the way team's evaluate the quarterback position. He was not a polished prospect at all, and he was viewed as a raw talent with great physical traits, and now teams believe they can fix and develop players like that. Allen is a rare case, but that argument may help Allar go a little higher than expected.
Let me know your thoughts on Allar on X, @brogannoey!
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