The Pittsburgh Steelers appear set to run it back in 2026 with Aaron Rodgers under center, but the bigger long-term storyline is already forming behind him. With Rodgers expected to treat 2026 as his final NFL season, attention inside and outside the building is starting to shift toward what comes next for Pittsburgh’s quarterback room in 2027 and beyond. Right now, that room includes Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and rookie third-round pick Drew Allar, giving the Steelers multiple young and unproven options to evaluate.
Paul Burdick / StateCollege.com
Steelers quarterback Drew Allar warms up for a home playoff game during his time in college at Penn State.
Howard, a sixth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Allar, taken in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, are both viewed as developmental quarterbacks with intriguing upside. Neither is a guaranteed answer, though, and history shows that late-round or early Day 2 quarterbacks often face an uphill battle in becoming long-term NFL starters.
That development challenge now falls in part to Mike McCarthy, who has a reputation for working with quarterbacks and helping refine their fundamentals. Reports have indicated that McCarthy plans to take a hands-on approach with Allar, including a full evaluation of his mechanics and a full "reset" of what he learned at Penn State. It is an aggressive developmental approach that can pay off, but also carries risk given how early Allar is in his transition to the NFL.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently addressed the situation on his podcast Footbahlin, expressing concern about the level of pressure placed on Allar so early in his career.
"I think McCarthy does have a great track record of working with young quarterbacks," Roethlisberger said. "It does make me nervous. I watch some of the things they have been doing with Drew Allar at practice, like working on his drop. I’m not trying to knock the QB school that Coach McCarthy does. I know Aaron has gone through it in Green Bay and he spoke highly about it, but to me, when I watch him do those three-step drops, it makes me incredibly nervous because you are refining things."
Roethlisberger's comments point to a wider sense of uncertainty in Pittsburgh. Rodgers provides short-term stability, but beyond him, the quarterback future remains unsettled.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy works with quarterback Drew Allar during Organized Team Activities.
The 2026 season is not only about staying competitive in the present, but also about evaluating whether Howard or Allar can realistically develop into the long-term answer once Rodgers is gone.
"The first thing you are teaching the youngest kids is how to do a three-step drop," Roethlisberger said. "It looked to me like it was baby steps teaching."
Roethlisberger was careful not to directly criticize the QB school approach that McCarthy is implementing, especially given his proven track record of developing quarterbacks and the fact that similar methods have worked in the past. At the same time, he admitted it still makes him a little nervous when he sees young quarterbacks being heavily reworked at the fundamentals stage. He also left the door open to the idea that his concern might be less about Allar specifically and more about how college football is currently teaching the position.
Steelers Knew Drew Allar Was A Project
When the Steelers used the 76th overall pick to select Allar, it was viewed as a relatively low-risk move. They had the draft capital to take a swing, and at one point Allar was considered a potential generational talent. The Steelers understood from the beginning that he would be a project, especially after some inconsistent moments in big games and a difficult 2025 season that ended with an injury.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers quarterback Drew Allar walks on the practice field with a smile on his face as he goes through drills as the team's rookie minicamp being held in Pittsburgh, PA.
Now, working with McCarthy, he is set to be reworked at the fundamental level. Roethlisberger is not fully sold on how that will look in practice, but he is trusting McCarthy’s track record and experience with developing quarterbacks.
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