The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most interesting quarterback situations in the NFL. There is no debate about who the starter is going to be for the 2026 season as Aaron Rodgers is expected to be under center in Week 1, However, most fans are paying attention to what it will look like behind the veteran. Will Howard and Drew Allar are two intriguing young signal-callers that have been drafted within the last two years, and fans are hoping that one of them might turn into a franchise quarterback for the Steelers. Meanwhile, Mason Rudolph is also a part of the equation.
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Steelers' quarterbacks Will Howard (left) and Mason Rudolph (right) during voluntary minicamp in Pittsburgh on April 21, 2026.
It has already been said that the 2026 season is basically going to be a redshirt year for Allar, which makes sense as he is a rookie in a crowded quarterback room. Howard and Rudolph will be competing for the backup job behind Rodgers, and many thought that Howard might have the leg up in that battle after the way Head Coach Mike McCarthy spoke about the young quarterback throughout the offseason.
Howard seems to take the snaps with the second offense throughout the spring, and that was expected to continue into training camp. McCarthy shocked fans when he announced on Tuesday that Rudolph would be getting the reps with the second-string offense.
Rudolph ran with the twos during the first day of camp on Wednesday, and he was asked about being the second-string quarterback after practice concluded. The veteran did not make a big deal of the surprising change to the depth chart in the quarterback room.
"I just, I love getting any reps I can get." Rudolph said. "That's how I've treated it my whole career. Any rep you can get in an NFL training camp is special and you work so hard for those all offseason, your whole life. But yeah, I've never cared whether it's 2s, 3s, 4s, treating the rep like it's a game rep is the most important thing."
Rudolph was going to approach this training camp in the same manner no matter which offense he would be lining up under center for, and that is probably the correct way to approach the situation. It is a veteran mindset for the backup, and it is probably a big reason he has been able to stick around in Pittsburgh for as long as he has.
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Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) under center during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Rudolph has been a backup in Pittsburgh for a long time. He had one year with the Tennessee Titans in 2024 where he had a chance to start, but things did not go well in Nashville for the veteran signal caller. He came back to Pittsburgh on a two-year deal, meaning this is his last season under contract.
This could be Rudolph's last time in Latrobe as he will be a free agent during the 2027 offseason, and there is a chance the Steelers will choose to move forward with Allar, Howard, and some other quarterback the organization signs or picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Steelers Fans Are Likely Rooting Against QB Mason Rudolph
There are a few Rudolph believers out there, but for the most part he has already shown fans what he has to offer, and nothing is all that impressive. Fans would rather see Howard get a bigger opportunity as the backup, or maybe even Allar although it is going to be a developmental year for the rookie.
Howard and Rudolph are going to be under a microscope throughout training camp and the preseason games as their performances are going to be closely compared. Howard has no game experience in the league which isn't necessarily a good thing to have behind a 42-year old starter, but if he can perform in the same realm as Rudolph, he should win the top backup job.
What do you think about Rudolph's comments on entering training camp as the backup to Rodgers? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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