The Pittsburgh Steelers are running it back with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2026. The two finally agreed on a deal ahead of the team's Organized Team Activities (OTAs). The deal, along with drafting Penn State University quarterback Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, gives the Steelers a total of four quarterbacks. While most rosters start with four before roster cutdowns, these four all have clear shots at the roster. This puts coaches and front office members in a huge predicament.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy coaches up third-round pick Drew Allar during the 2026 rookie minicamp.
While Rodgers will be the clear-cut starter, the Steelers will have to choose between keeping two intriguing young signal-callers or maintaining the veteran in Mason Rudolph. While there has been some speculation that the organization could trade Rudolph at some point this offseason, he does bring the most experience to a win-now Pittsburgh squad. Regardless, if the Steelers decide to keep Rudolph, they'll have to figure out which of the two young gunslingers they'll ramp up reps for.
The choice between Allar and second-year player Will Howard could prove difficult, as the two both have intriguing traits. Both extremely raw prospects, but it'll be difficult for them to get quality reps. Former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch spoke on The Snap Count podcast about how difficult it would be to develop both young guys at the same rate, at the same time.
"As you move forward, I will say this, though. It is impossible, and I've rarely used the word impossible, it is impossible to prepare two young quarterbacks and try to develop them to be your starter. You have to choose one. So these OTA practices are critical because you do have 10 practices, along with those five minicamp practices that you're going to have," Batch said. "They have to figure out who that is going to be. Whoever wins that particular battle will get the most reps in training camp, and then that will alert us as it relates to how the progression is going with these young quarterbacks right now."
The progression of the two quarterbacks will be vital in how the Steelers will dish out reps come training camp. Already, Howard has taken some reps as the number two ahead of Rudolph. Steelers media and coaches have urged fans not to look too much into where particular players play or what groups they practice with, but the decision is still intriguing. To switch to Allar, the Steelers' new coaching staff is made up of a ton of coaches who can help a quarterback develop. In rookie minicamp, all attention was on Allar's fundamentals. Coaches spent a lot of one-on-one time with the young quarterback.
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Steelers quarterback Drew Allar walks on the practice field with a smile on his face as he goes through drills at the team's rookie minicamp being held in Pittsburgh, PA.
Allar has needed to put in a ton of work on his footwork, but the arm is there and has already impressed. Howard is different in this regard; his footwork and command are good, but his arm isn't quite as strong. His leadership abilities have been another great quality. The two will battle it out early to see who can command more reps in training camp. The coaching staff will have to make a decision on who will get more reps. While this may not dictate who will have a better chance at being the starter in 2027, per se, it will clue many in on how confident the organization is in one of the young players.
The Steelers Haven't Given Much Of Clue On Who They Like Best
Early in the offseason, after the new head coach Mike McCarthy was hired, he shared his confidence in Howard. However, the Steelers drafted another quarterback. McCarthy has described the two as projects, and similar to other young signal-callers he's worked with. The team hasn't given any clues as to who they think has the edge thus far. Reason being, they're likely aware that the two have a ton of work to do still. Even though Howard is a second-year quarterback, he missed valuable time in the preseason and during the regular season with a finger injury.
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Steelers QB Will Howard during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Howard was the scout team quarterback in the latter part of the 2025 season and was used as the emergency third quarterback. He didn't see any game-time action, essentially making it a redshirt rookie year for him. This will be a huge summer when it comes to quarterback evaluation, and training camp reps could clue fans in on who the Steelers like best.
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