Mike McCarthy Downplays Steelers’ Interesting QB Situation Involving Aaron Rodgers And Drew Allar

The Pittsburgh Steelers could try to trade quarterback Mason Rudolph now after they selected Drew Allar out of Penn State 76th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Steelers move forward with a quarterback room of Will Howard, Allar, Rudolph, and possibly Aaron Rodgers. It is no secret at this point that Rodgers has kept Pittsburgh waiting once again. Many feel he may return for the 2026 season, but no one will truly believe it until he says it himself.

That has left Pittsburgh in a precarious spot as they try to build a new offensive identity under coordinator Brian Angelichio and Head Coach Mike McCarthy. If they want to be successful, it will come down to identifying who their quarterback will be. That is exactly why this fan base has grown frustrated with Rodgers once again. Many believe he already knows his decision, but is dragging it out for attention. However, at 42 years old, he is likely just taking his time with what could be his final season if he does return.

Steelers insider Brooke Pryor of ESPN stated that McCarthy wanted it to be known that selecting Allar has no impact on the Rodgers situation. Many assumed that already, but hearing it directly from McCarthy is still an interesting update. 

"This is about developing the room and making the room as deep as we possibly can," McCarthy said in regards to selecting Allar. "We want to grow the quarterback room."

That means the Steelers are still indeed waiting on Rodgers. If he does not come back, things could get very interesting. Howard was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Many believe he could develop into the future at quarterback, while others see that as a long shot. Now Allar enters the mix, and the two could eventually form a real quarterback competition in Pittsburgh.

It still carries the feeling that Rodgers could end up in Pittsburgh after all and play the 2026 season as their starter. Rodgers was seriously committed to mentoring Howard during the 2025 season and was viewed as an exceptional leader in the locker room. At times in college, Allar was noticeably frustrated during big games. To be fair, that came in part from playing in James Franklin’s system, which can be difficult for quarterbacks to fully thrive in. Even so, Allar was once viewed as a generational talent.

If he can put it all together and continue to develop under Tom Arth and the rest of the Steelers staff, he could eventually grow into a reliable starter or backup at the NFL level. He was not drafted to play right away, and it still sounds like Rodgers remains an option for Pittsburgh moving forward.

Steelers Have The Foundation Built

It has often been said that to build anything meaningful, you need a strong foundation. While the Steelers have left everyone frustrated and uncertain about finding their next franchise quarterback, that foundation has been steadily built since General Manager Omar Khan took over.

He has been committed to strengthening the trenches and investing in young talent along the offensive line. With the line working under James Campen, there is real optimism that the Steelers will be in a much better position to develop a quarterback successfully moving forward. Campen has a longstanding history of success working with McCarthy. Howard and Allar could very well be the future, and at worst, they represent two intriguing developmental options with upside. For many seasons a lot of pundits lacked faith that Mike Tomlin could develop another franchise QB. Well, McCarthy has success at both his previous stops and now he has options.

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