Steelers Great Ben Roethlisberger Wants Pittsburgh To Release Mason Rudolph With Plan In Mind

The Pittsburgh Steelers have four quarterbacks they would prefer not to lose, but Ben Roethlisberger believes protecting Will Howard and Drew Allar must be the priority. His solution could leave veteran Mason Rudolph in an uncomfortable position.

Aaron Rodgers is firmly established as Pittsburgh's starter for the 2026 season. The real question is how the organization fits Rudolph, Howard and Allar onto the final 53-man roster without sacrificing one of its young developmental passers.

Roethlisberger argued that exposing either Howard or Allar to another franchise via the practice squad would create an unnecessary risk. During the latest episode of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the former Steelers quarterback presented two alternatives: keep all four or attempt to move Rudolph to the practice squad.

"If I am a coach or GM, I am doing everything I can to keep both of them [Will Howard and Drew Allar]," Roethlisberger said. "I don't think you can put either of them on the practice squad because someone will scoop them up. So I would say you have an option of keeping all four or trying to put Mason on the practice squad."

That would represent a dramatic demotion for Rudolph after he seemingly secured the backup job during the preseason. Pittsburgh would first need to release him before attempting to bring him back, and Rudolph would have the ability to explore opportunities elsewhere. The proposal appears unlikely, but Roethlisberger's reasoning carries weight. Pittsburgh cannot assume Howard or Allar would clear waivers simply because neither is ready to replace Rodgers.

Roethlisberger also separated Pittsburgh's emergency plans into two distinct scenarios. Rudolph would be his choice if Rodgers were forced out of a single contest because the veteran understands how to manage an offense without requiring the coaching staff to rebuild its approach.

"You get a veteran guy who knows how to manage things and can take care of things and probably get you out of games," Roethlisberger said. "If you want to get out of a game, knock on wood, Aaron goes down, but he's out for the rest of the game, that's where you want Mason to come in and play."

Rudolph can handle that assignment. He can enter with limited preparation, protect the football and keep Pittsburgh competitive. That reliability matters for a group carrying legitimate expectations. An extended absence would completely change the calculation. If Rodgers suffered an injury that sidelined him for several weeks or the remainder of the campaign, Roethlisberger would rather see Mike McCarthy build an offense around Howard or Allar.

"If there's any kind of, I hope this doesn't happen, but Aaron is out for an extended period of time, then I want one of the two young guys because you can build stuff around them," Roethlisberger said.

McCarthy's offensive background makes that possibility appealing. He would receive a full week to construct protections, concepts and reads around his young signal-caller's strengths. That is different from asking an inexperienced player to enter unexpectedly midway through a matchup.

Roethlisberger described McCarthy as an offensive genius who could help either prospect function if provided preparation time. Howard and Allar would undoubtedly make mistakes, but Pittsburgh would also collect valuable evidence about whether either player can become its long-term answer.

Steelers Must Prioritize Their Future If Aaron Rodgers Goes Down

Rudolph is currently Pittsburgh's most reliable backup, and his preseason performance strengthened the argument for keeping four quarterbacks. However, reliability has a ceiling. If Rodgers were lost for an extended period, Rudolph would not suddenly transform the Steelers into a Super Bowl favorite.

At that point, the organization would gain more from discovering what Howard or Allar can become. Both possess traits worth developing, and meaningful snaps would provide answers that practices cannot. McCarthy could simplify the scheme, emphasize mobility and gradually expand the plan as his young passer settled in.

Keeping all four remains the sensible solution because every quarterback serves a different purpose. Rodgers gives them their best championship opportunity, Rudolph offers short-term insurance, and Howard and Allar represent two chances at finding the future. Pittsburgh should not discard any part of that plan merely to preserve one additional spot elsewhere on the depth chart.

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