Drew Allar Has Finally Given The Steelers Something They've Been Missing Out On For Years

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the teams in the NFL that have been in a weird spot when it comes to the quarterback position over the last several years. Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season, and the organization never truly had a real succession plan. This left the franchise in a rough spot as it made a pair of bad decisions during the 2022 offseason by signing Mitch Trubisky and then drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. This set the organization back even further, but it seems like Pittsburgh might finally be turning the corner in that regard.

The Steelers have had a revolving door at the quarterback position for years now. The organization has gone the route of signing veterans to bring in as the starter, and it has gone okay so far although some fans will complain that the organization missed out on the perfect time to tank. That is true, but the Steelers were never going to be an organization that would try to lose. This has led the franchise to find veterans that could still win some games, which is why Aaron Rodgers is returning for his second season in Pittsburgh. 

Rodgers has already said that the 2026 season is going to be his final season in the league. He is retiring at the end of the year, which means the starting job is open for 2027. Beat writer Mark Kaboly joined 93.7 The Fan on Monday morning, and he was asked if the team believes rookie quarterback Drew Allar can be the starter in 2027 after the radio show played the clip of Head Coach Mike McCarthy calling Allar a first-round pick.

"I would say yeah," Kaboly said. "I believe everything he said right there, that they'd have a first-round value on him. But that's different from taking him in the first round. They mentioned the issues they faced that pushed him down the board. Right now in their minds, they're thinking that Drew Allar is their QB1 next year. That's the way they're going to go into it. A lot of things can change, maybe if they draft somebody or Aaron Rodgers comes back (no that's not going to happen). I think that's the case, that's what they're looking at."

Kaboly seems fairly confident that the organization is hoping that Allar will be the team's starting quarterback in 2027, and he played well enough in the team's first preseason game of the year to solidify that thought. Knowing who the starter at quarterback is going to be in the following season is a luxury the Steelers have not had in a long time.

Allar shined bright in Pittsburgh's first game of the preseason. He accounted for three touchdowns as he threw two and then used his legs to score another. The offense scored on every meaningful drive that he led, which is a great sign of the efficiency that was present while he was under center. Usually when a rookie quarterback is getting their first preseason action, one of the only things that is being looked for is that he can function in and out of the huddle and get the play off. Allar confirmed he could do more than that in the win over the Green Bay Packers.

Steelers Likely To Have A Quarterback Battle In 2027

The organization wants Allar to continue to develop and turn into a starting quarterback, but they aren't just going to give him the job next year. He and Will Howard are the only quarterbacks on the roster who are under contract for the 2027 season. If Howard makes the team in 2026, he should be considered part of a future quarterback battle. The same can be said for any quarterback the Steelers might draft later on in the 2027 NFL Draft, or any veteran that might be brought in.

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