Steelers Fans Get Big Update On Drew Allar's Potential Hold Out

The Pittsburgh Steelers made the bold move of adding yet another quarterback to the roster when they selected Penn State University gunslinger Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Allar was projected to be a top prospect, but a devastating injury derailed him for the majority of the 2025 college football season. He has a huge arm, but some questionable footwork, which many viewed as a project. With quarterback whisperer Mike McCarthy now at the helm, he'll be the perfect player for Pittsburgh's new head coach to develop in hopes of finding a new franchise quarterback. 

The Steelers are in win-now mode in 2026, but with Aaron Rodgers playing in his final season, there are some big choices to make at quarterback. Allar will be heavily involved in that process, and he'll have this season to get acclimated to NFL speed. Already, he's been working on improving his mechanics. The coaching staff has gone back to basics with him, as they've been working on his footwork and throwing mechanics throughout the offseason. McCarthy's quarterback school was in full effect during the rookie minicamp, and the veteran coach spent a ton of one-on-one time with Allar. 

Allar has obviously spent time with the team and has gotten to know his teammates and gotten some work in with them. He's seen how Rodgers goes about practicing and already sees him as a mentor. However, the third-rounder has yet to sign his rookie deal. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo responded to a question in his latest Steelers chat regarding Allar's contract, and the news was positive. 

"He'll sign soon. It's never an issue," Fittipaldo wrote. 

This is a good sign, as most rookies have steadily been signing their deals throughout the offseason. Quarterbacks do typically take more time to sign based on the fact that they'll make more money at a premium position. Obviously, all fans want to see their rookie quarterback locked up contractually, but there's no concern about him actually signing. It's just a matter of when. 

Allar will bring a new level of youth to a quarterback room that has been under a lot of speculation. The future will involve Allar in some way, whether that be as a solid backup or as a future starter. His development will be purely based on getting reps in practice and learning the offense before any real game action. He'll get a taste of pro action during the preseason, which will tell coaches just about where Allar is in his development. 

This will be a telltale sign of just how much time and effort the staff will have to invest in making Allar a true threat under center. His big arm is intriguing, and he has NFL size. You can't teach those things; now it's just time for him to refine his game. 

How Will The Steelers Prepare Allar For A Bigger Role In The Future? 

As mentioned before, McCarthy has gone through his quarterback school with the young signal-callers on his team. This school is a film breakdown, where he shows his quarterbacks film of legendary players alongside their own to identify areas they can improve. With Rodgers being in the mix, Allar has another mentor to learn from. However, allowing him to grow on his own and not throwing him into the fire was the smart thing. Too often, rookie quarterbacks don't have the proper time to develop, and that hurts careers. 

Allar has a coaching staff full of noteworthy quarterback developers, who were handpicked by McCarthy. Pittsburgh knows that it needs to find someone to replace Rodgers and carry on the team's winning legacy. Whether that's Allar or a future player is yet to be determined.

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