Steelers Might Have Huge Signs Of Concern With Drew Allar

The Pittsburgh Steelers played their final preseason game of the 2026 season on Thursday night as the team lost to the Buffalo Bills. Pittsburgh was in control for most of the game, but things sort of fell apart in the fourth quarter as the Bills were able to win the game by a score of 28-27. The defense was an issue near the end of the game, but the offense didn't look great either as it became hard to move the ball down the field. Rookie quarterback Drew Allar probably had his worst performance of the preseason, but fans should still be optimistic about his future with the organization.

Allar shocked some fans with his first preseason performance against the Green Bay Packers as he accounted for three touchdowns in his debut. The offense scored zero points in his second game, and in his third game, he led the group down the field for a touchdown on his first drive on the field. The contest didn't end in the way the Steelers wanted, but he showed signs of growth. He had a chance to lead the Steelers on a game-winning drive with just over one minute left, but he could only complete one pass on the drive and the Steelers wound up turning the ball over on downs.

The incompletions for Allar have been somewhat concerning throughout the preseason, although it is clear that he is throwing to guys that probably won't be in the NFL a week from now. There have been a ton of drops, which is something Mark Kaboly spoke about on a recent episode of his show Kaboly + Mack.

"That's another thing, I even mentioned it on the Twitter machine. I don't know if he just throws a bad ball, or too hard of a ball that can't be caught, or his receivers just stink," Kaboly said. "I mean what are we looking at, 5, 7, 8 drops in the preseason so far? It seems like it. He hasn't gotten much help at all from his receivers. It's hard to make that evaluation on what he did today or what he did all preseason."

Allar completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes during the preseason, which is not a good mark. NFL quarterbacks usually aim to complete above 65 percent of their passes, so he has some work to do, but it isn't all on him. He was throwing to receivers who have no future in the NFL, although the way he throws the football might be contributing to some of the problems. 

There are a lot of factors when it comes to throwing a catchable football. Spin rate, velocity, and placement are all things to consider. Allar's accuracy has been impressive throughout the preseason, but maybe there is an issue with one of the other two categories. It is nothing to worry about now as fans probably won't see him on a field again until the 2027 preseason, but it is something that is probably being talked about within the facility. The low completion percentage could also just be chalked up to him throwing to receivers at the bottom of the depth chart.

Steelers' Drew Allar Has Shown Reasons For Optimism

The quarterback position in Pittsburgh has been bleak, but Allar allows fans to get a little bit excited. He has all the talent in the world at the position, and he showed that with some impressive passes throughout the preseason. He now gets to learn from Aaron Rodgers for a full season while continuing to learn under Head Coach Mike McCarthy. The future is bright for Allar, and a ton of fans are hoping he is the future at the quarterback position for the Steelers.

Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X (@brogannoey) and consider following for more Steelers-related content and discussion. I’m always open to hearing different perspectives, breaking down games, and talking all things Pittsburgh football.

#SteelerNation