The Pittsburgh Steelers are still in a very uninspiring place when it comes to the quarterback position. They are waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision, but there is no telling if and when that will happen. Behind him is a veteran backup and two young guys with exactly zero playing experience at the NFL level, with neither of them being top prospects at the position. That is why the Steelers are content with waiting for the 42-year-old to figure out what he wants to do at this stage.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
If/when Rodgers comes back, there is going to be a competition between the others for positioning and even roster spots. In his weekly Q&A chat, insider Brian Batko detailed exactly how that will be decided.
"In my mind, it all depends how Will Howard plays in the preseason," Batko said. "If he looks the part, you make him your backup and move on from Mason Rudolph. If he struggles mightily, you might just have to thank him for his contributions."
Rookie Drew Allar was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, so his spot on the 53-man roster will likely be safe by default. That means it will come down to Will Howard versus Mason Rudolph to see who gets the backup job and who will be looking for a new team after the preseason. According to Batko, the veteran's fate may not actually be in his own hands anymore.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
At the end of the day, Rudolph is in his 30s, so the Steelers know what he is at this point. He's a decent solid backup that may be able to help mentor the young guys. Meanwhile, Howard has never taken a snap in any kind of NFL game, so they have no idea how he is. Reports say they love what he has shown in practice, but most of that was while running scout team, which does not show much.
2026 will be Howard's chance to prove the doubters wrong. Many believe that he is just a backup in this league, and the fact that he was taken in the sixth round back in 2025 supports that idea. However, if he can truly learn from Rodgers like reports say he has throughout his rookie season, maybe he could develop into a starting-caliber passer. He still needs a chance to truly show off what he can do.
Howard still has the edge here. If he loses out to Rudolph, he is still young enough that a team would be willing to put him on the practice squad, whether that's in Pittsburgh or somewhere else. If the soon-to-be 31-year-old gets released, however, it may be tough for him to find a job. He could make it as a third-string option somewhere else, but that's not what a veteran passer hopes for at all.
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Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) during a regular season matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears.
If the Steelers decide Howard is the answer, they could try and test out the market for Rudolph. Some teams value veteran backups a lot, and if one of them is not comfortable about the backup options in house, it could send a sixth-round pick over to Pittsburgh for his services. It's unclear exactly how the league sees him, so there's no telling if he gets traded or if his career unfortunately ends here.
Steelers Could Have Similar Situation In 2027
The Steelers hope to get the quarterback of the future in 2027, especially since that is supposed to be such a stacked class. However, 2026 was also supposed to be loaded with talent, and it was incredibly disappointing. If the next draft class is anywhere near that same level, Pittsburgh may be drafting another high-risk high-reward player in the middle rounds while putting Howard and a veteran against each other in camp.
What do you think about the incoming battle between Howard and Rudolph? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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