Steelers Rookie Drew Allar Receives Extremely Unfortunate News Regarding His Future Now

While the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently set at the starting quarterback position, they still felt the need to draft at the position the last two years. Pittsburgh feels that its signal-caller group could still be improved by adding depth. While that is never a bad thing, it is certain that Aaron Rodgers will be the guy unless something very unforeseen occurs. Even then, it is hard to imagine Pittsburgh benching the legendary quarterback for anyone on the roster, so an injury seems to be the only way that he wouldn't be under center.

Drew Allar was selected back in April by the Steelers, as 76th overall pick. The Penn State product was hurt relatively early on in 2025, but he had previously been projected to be one of the first players taken off the board. 

While Pittsburgh still took the rookie quarterback, it is highly doubtful that he is even ready to be a backup. During a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan, team reporter Ray Fittipaldo stated he harsh truth about the signal-caller.

"It is a reach to say Allar can be a backup right now," Fittipaldo said.

The comment may seem harsh, but it reflects the challenge the rookie is facing. While the Steelers clearly believe in Allar's long-term upside, they also understand that quarterback development is rarely a quick process. Pittsburgh's coaching staff will likely use training camp and the preseason as opportunities to evaluate his progress while allowing him to learn behind more experienced options.

Despite having the talent that made him such a highly regarded prospect, expectations for Allar's rookie season should remain realistic. The transition from college football to the NFL is difficult for any quarterback, and Allar enters a situation where he still has significant development ahead of him. 

Learning a new offensive system, adjusting to the speed of the professional game, and refining his decision-making are all areas he will need to focus on before he can be trusted with meaningful snaps. He has to beat out second-year quarterback Will Howard, and potentially even veteran backup Mason Rudolph. 

That automatically puts Allar behind the eight-ball and makes the hill for him even harder to climb. Howard appears to have an early advantage after spending the spring working with the second-team offense. The Steelers have consistently given Howard opportunities to prove himself, and many believe he is the favorite to secure the primary backup role entering the season. 

With a full year already under his belt, Howard has some experience that Allar simply does not possess. Rudolph has had experience as a starting quarterback many times in the league and that gives him a huge advantage over Allar. However, Rudolph has been linked to possibly being cut or traded this offseason, so that's something to watch as well.

Steelers Knew That Allar Would Likely Be A Project

For now, the focus is not on whether Allar can contribute immediately. Instead, the organization will be looking for signs that he can eventually develop into a reliable NFL quarterback. If he shows growth throughout his rookie season, the Steelers could feel much more confident about his future heading into the campaign and determine whether or not he can be an effective contributor.

None of this means Allar cannot eventually become an important piece of the Steelers' future. In fact, Pittsburgh's decision to spend a third-round pick on him shows the organization believes there is significant upside to develop. However, expectations must be tempered as he begins his NFL career. The Steelers do not need Allar to be ready immediately, and forcing him into action before he is prepared could do more harm than good.

Instead, the focus should be on steady growth throughout training camp, the preseason, and his rookie season. If Allar can improve his understanding of the offense, show progress in practice, and continue developing his physical tools, the Steelers will view his first year as a success. While the backup job may be out of reach for now, his long-term future in Pittsburgh remains an open book.

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