James Harrison Doesn’t Hold Back While Forwarding Brutal News To Steelers QB Mason Rudolph

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback room continues to be surrounded by uncertainty. While Steelers fans continue to wait to see what ends up happening with Aaron Rodgers. The team selected quarterback Drew Allar out of Penn State with the 76th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, hoping he can develop into the franchise’s long-term answer under new Head Coach Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy has built a reputation as a strong quarterback developer, which makes the Steelers’ young quarterback setup especially intriguing. Along with Allar, Pittsburgh also has Will Howard, whom the team selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While McCarthy drafted Allar, he did not draft Howard, adding another layer of intrigue to how this quarterback competition could unfold moving forward.

With questions continuing to surround the future of the position, former Steelers linebacker James Harrison recently offered a blunt assessment of backup quarterback Mason Rudolph’s future in Pittsburgh during an episode of the Deebo & Joe podcast alongside Joe Haden.

"We don't know what we've got in two of the guys that we have right now," Harrison said on Monday during his time on Deebo & Joe. "One of the guys, we don't know if he'll even be back, and he's older, so he's gonna give us a year. The other, I know we don't have nothing there, and that is Rudolph."

Harrison wants to make sure Allar and Howard get the opportunity to develop, which likely leaves little room for Rudolph in the Steelers’ long-term plans. Because of that, Harrison believes that once Rodgers officially announces he will play in the 2026 season, Rudolph’s time in Pittsburgh should come to an end. 

In Harrison’s view, he expects Rudolph to be gone sooner rather than later.

"If Aaron comes back, or when Aaron comes back, however you want to look at it, he gone," Harrison said to Haden. "Mason's gone. Because you're gonna keep your two young guys, get what you've got going on there, develop them however it's gonna be. [Rudolph] done had eight years to develop and still ain't did it. That's gonna be something that they're gonna end up moving on from."

Pittsburgh selected Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft with hopes he could develop into a reliable backup quarterback, which he ultimately did to a degree. However, he was never able to establish himself as the team’s future once it became clear that Ben Roethlisberger was nearing retirement. Many feel Rudolph has been given multiple opportunities but has yet to prove he belongs as a full-time starter. Even so, keeping him around as a trusted backup has still seemed like a prudent move for Pittsburgh.

Steelers Should Trust Mike McCarthy More With Their Young QBs

Others, including Harrison, believe it makes more sense for the Steelers to move forward with their two younger quarterbacks in Allar and Howard, trusting McCarthy to develop at least one of them into a legitimate long-term option. Rudolph would not be viewed as a major loss, so if Pittsburgh is concerned about having a reliable backup in case Rodgers gets hurt or ultimately does not sign, there is an argument for simply allowing McCarthy to begin developing both young quarterbacks under real pressure. 

With two options and a new coaching regime in place, many believe Allar and Howard can continue building confidence as they adjust to the NFL under McCarthy’s leadership. Still, whatever ends up happening with Rodgers will have major implications for Rudolph’s future in Pittsburgh.

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