Steelers' Mike McCarthy Calls Drew Allar's Forgotten Play "Priceless" After Critical Response

The Pittsburgh Steelers watched rookie quarterback Drew Allar produce plenty of highlights during their 28-9 preseason victory over the Green Bay Packers. He threw two touchdown passes, added another score on the ground and immediately gave Steeler Nation reasons to become excited about his future.

However, the play that may have impressed Mike McCarthy most will never appear in a highlight package. Allar found himself under pressure during a red-zone snap, sped up his feet and nearly allowed the play to break down completely. Instead of forcing the football into danger, he settled himself and threw it away.

That decision helped preserve a drive that eventually ended with a Pittsburgh touchdown. When McCarthy was asked by Steelers insider Chris Carter how much he values a response like that compared to the obvious splash plays, he called the question excellent and explained why those forgotten snaps carry so much developmental value.

"Well, actually, that's an excellent point because that's the real rep," McCarthy said. "That's going to happen in a game. There are eight plays a game, statistically, where a quarterback is going to have to move his feet for a potential extended play. The value of those reps to me is priceless because you're trying to emulate it in practice, but it's not as close to the game as you would like."

That is exactly the type of response McCarthy needs to see from Allar. Anyone can appreciate the arm strength, touchdowns and explosive completions. Those plays demonstrate physical ability, but surviving a difficult snap requires awareness, composure and discipline.

McCarthy has spent the offseason breaking down Allar's mechanics, particularly his footwork. The rookie has played quarterback a certain way for most of his life, and changing those habits does not happen overnight. Seeing him recognize the problem, settle his feet and make the correct decision this quickly represents meaningful progress.

"To see those guys continue to get those extended-play reps, they both had them, and Mason had one too," McCarthy said. "He had one down in the red zone that was close to being a touchdown. Those are great, great reps."

McCarthy has consistently praised players throughout his first offseason in Pittsburgh, which makes him difficult to read. Some of his positive comments may simply be an experienced coach trying to establish confidence throughout a new locker room. That context should prevent anyone from treating every compliment as a major declaration.

This evaluation feels more meaningful because McCarthy explained exactly what Allar did correctly and why it mattered. He did not offer empty praise or focus exclusively on the result. He identified a specific situation that cannot be perfectly recreated during practice and showed how the rookie applied his coaching under live pressure.

Steelers Are Seeing Meaningful Growth From Drew Allar

Allar still has a long developmental road ahead. One excellent preseason performance and one intelligent throwaway do not establish him as Pittsburgh's future starting quarterback. Consistency will ultimately determine whether these encouraging moments become lasting habits.

Still, Allar is beginning to create a legitimate argument for consideration in the Steelers' QB2 competition during the 2026 season. Aaron Rodgers remains the unquestioned starter, but Pittsburgh also has Mason Rudolph and Will Howard competing for roles in a crowded quarterback room.

The larger evaluation will arrive in 2027, when Allar could receive an opportunity to compete for the starting job following Rodgers' expected final season. If he continues developing at this pace, there is a realistic path toward him becoming the face of the franchise. At this early stage, placing those chances somewhere between 50% and 75% feels reasonable, although far more evidence will be needed. Allar's touchdowns against Green Bay created excitement. His ability to calm his feet, protect the football and preserve a scoring drive may have provided the better indication of where his development is headed. Those decisions rarely make highlight reels, but as McCarthy made clear, they can be priceless.

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