The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2026 season with Aaron Rodgers firmly established as the starting quarterback, but the battle behind him has created a much more interesting storyline. Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar are all competing for valuable reps, and every practice carries extra weight with Pittsburgh preparing for life after Rodgers.
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Steelers' Will Howard celebrates a nice play during mandatory minicamp in 2026.
Howard entered camp with plenty to prove. The former sixth-round pick showed flashes during his rookie season in practice, but Mike McCarthy and the new coaching staff have no attachment to him. That makes the quarterback competition more than a simple fight for the backup job. It is also an opportunity for Howard to show he belongs in Pittsburgh’s long-term plans.
Rudolph has made that task more difficult early in camp. The veteran has already been listed ahead of Howard on the Steelers’ initial depth chart, and his steady approach has reportedly separated him from the younger quarterback. Howard may have more to gain by making big plays, but forcing those moments can become dangerous when a player is trying to win the trust of an entirely new staff.
There is still plenty of time for Howard to change the conversation during Pittsburgh’s three preseason games. However, Steelers insider Nick Farabaugh recently explained, while speaking on 93.7 The Fan, why Howard’s desire to prove himself may be creating a serious problem, especially as Rudolph continues to play dependable football.
"I think Rudolph’s been by far the better quarterback so far at training camp than Will Howard," Farabaugh said. "He’s gone through his kind of businesslike, mature way. He’s just hit the guys he’s supposed to hit. He hasn’t put the ball in harm’s way. He’s thrown an accurate ball. It hasn’t been flashy. It’s been very workmanlike, but there’s not been a lot that makes you worried about it. Just looks like a backup quarterback doing what a backup quarterback should do, which is game managing."
Rudolph does not need to create highlight-reel plays to keep control of the QB2 job. He simply needs to make the right decisions, protect the football, and give McCarthy confidence that the offense will not fall apart if Rodgers has to leave a game.
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Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the 2026 minicamp.
Howard has the talent to make difficult throws, but Farabaugh believes the young quarterback has allowed his urgency to show up in the wrong ways.
"Howard, on the other hand, looks like he’s out to prove something," Farabaugh said. "He’s had a few really nice throws with some touch up the seam, outside the numbers, but he has also thrown three interceptions. I will say this right now, the gap between Rudolph and Howard is bigger than the gap between Howard and Allar. There are six practices, and fairly simply put, you just don’t want that to be the case if you are Will Howard. But there’s still a lot of time, three preseason games."
Howard should not be written off after six practices. He has three preseason games to settle down, show off his arm talent, and prove that he can operate the offense without trying to make every throw the biggest throw of his career.
Steelers' Howard Needs To Slow Down
Still, Farabaugh’s comment should matter to Howard. Rudolph is not winning this competition with flashy plays. He is winning it because he looks comfortable, protects the football, and gives Pittsburgh exactly what a veteran backup is supposed to provide.
The Steelers do not need Howard to be perfect, but they do need him to stop making the job harder for himself. If the gap between him and Rudolph stays this wide, Howard could go from competing for QB2 to fighting just to make sure Pittsburgh still sees him as part of the future.
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