"Allar Flashes More Potential": Steelers Rookie Quarterback Showing High Ceiling During Training Camp

The Pittsburgh Steelers are well into training camp now, and the quarterback picture is starting to take shape. Head Coach Mike McCarthy said at the beginning of training camp that Mason Rudolph will be the second quarterback to start, but both Will Howard and Drew Allar have gotten a chance with the twos as well. No quarterback has really separated themselves from the pack, which is something that a lot of fans had hoped Howard would do by now. There is a world where one of these quarterbacks is not on the roster going into the 2026 season, and that quarterback is not going to be Allar or Aaron Rodgers.

Howard has a ton of fans within Pittsburgh, and the fan base wants to see him win the backup role over Rudolph. There is a serious chance that whoever is lower on the depth chart between those two will not make the final roster as Rodgers and Allar have their spots secure as the starter and a promising rookie. The rest of the quarterback room behind Rodgers has been and will be one of the biggest stories of training camp. It goes beyond this season as fans want to see what the future of the position could look like between Howard or Allar.

Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo hosted a chat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Wednesday morning, and he was asked about the two younger quarterbacks so far in training camp. His response could be considered bad news for all the fans hoping to see more from Howard this season.

"I'd say Howard has been more consistent, but Allar flashes more potential," Fittipaldo wrote.

Consistency is good, and that might help Howard win the backup job in 2026. However, potential is what the franchise is after when it comes to its future starting quarterback. Allar has been flashing as he continues to develop, which is exactly what the coaching staff was hoping for after tearing down his mechanics during the spring. McCarthy fixed the way Allar plays the position, and it is already paying dividends.

Howard and Rudolph are viewed as the two quarterbacks competing for the backup job, while Allar is considered a developmental project. However, if he continues to flash, some fans might wonder if he could be considered for the backup job. Fittipaldo states that all three quarterbacks are getting looks with the twos on offense.

"McCarthy said Rudolph would be No. 2 in camp, but from what I've seen, he's given Howard and Allar just as many opportunities with the second-team offense," Fittipaldo wrote. "I think it will be Rudolph in after Rodgers, but I don't think any of the QBs have distinguished themselves as the backup just yet."

Both of the younger quarterbacks are working with the backups on offense, which is a good sign probably. However, none of the quarterbacks behind Rodgers have stood out for Pittsburgh so far.

Steelers Likely Need To Part Ways With Mason Rudolph

If no quarterbacks have stood out behind Rodgers, then that is a direct indictment on Rudolph. He is the one with all of the NFL experience, and that has been the main argument for him taking Howard's spot on the final roster. If all three of the backups are close throughout training camp, then there is no reason to keep the veteran around. Try to trade him, or just cut him and let him sign elsewhere. He should get picked up rather swiftly since he has won important games and has started a good amount for a backup.

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