The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to have made the controversial decision to keep four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster going into the 2026 regular season. Pittsburgh is one of four teams to go in this direction this season. The move stems from the emergence of young quarterbacks Drew Allar and Will Howard as potential long-term answers once Aaron Rodgers is gone. The team also wants to keep Mason Rudolph around to back up Rodgers.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Will Howard (18) and Drew Allar (16) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Preseason in Pittsburgh has been an interesting time for many reasons, none bigger than the chatter surrounding the quarterback room. Rodgers is the obvious starter, but all signs point to him retiring after the 2026 NFL season. Allar and Howard have both shown flashes during their time commanding the offense this preseason, but have struggled in certain areas.
The controversy in this topic has to do with the veteran, Rudolph, who has had multiple stints with the Black and Gold now. The majority of Rudolph's career has been spent as the backup quarterback for the Steelers, while even starting 14 total games for the team. He has been serviceable in the games he has played, even producing a mini-breakout toward the end of the 2023 NFL season in which he led the team to three straight wins and a playoff berth.
Rudolph has been a huge question mark this preseason, as all options were on the table. The Steelers were reportedly fielding calls for a potential trade, as well as tossing around the idea of cutting him entirely.
Fans and analysts around the league have differing opinions on Rudolph, specifically relating to his deservingness of a roster spot this upcoming season. On the latest episode of the Deebo and Joe podcast, Steelers legendary linebacker James Harrison voiced his strong opinion on Rudolph and what value he brings to the team this season, if any.
"You're not getting anything from him during the game," Harrison bluntly stated. "That roster spot is costing us. I'm not keeping Mason, we've seen what it is already. We know Mason is not the quarterback of the Steelers. If Aaron gets hurt, we are screwed anyways."
Harrison has a point, as Rodgers is truly the key to this season going in a positive direction. It seems unlikely that any of the other three quarterbacks on the roster would be able to step up and fill the shoes of the all-time great.
Barry Reeger / Imagn Images
Steelers great James Harrison runs out of the tunnel ahead of a Sunday Night Football game in 2025.
The Steelers' hiring of new head coach Mike McCarthy could be the reason that the organization has decided to keep four quarterbacks going into the season. McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach, and it has been confirmed that he will be calling the plays this season. This is different from what we are used to in the Steel City, as previous head coach Mike Tomlin was more of a defensive leader and delegated the majority of play-calling duties to the offensive coordinator. McCarthy might want the security of having a veteran like Rudolph in the building in case of an emergency.
Steelers Quarterbacks Could Provide Roster Problems
The team's decision to roster four quarterbacks might brew trouble during the NFL regular season. Losing one or two roster spots that can be used on depth players on either side of the ball could be an issue for Pittsburgh, as the squad is already thin at certain positions, such as defensive back and linebacker. Keeping Rudolph on the roster, who has already shown that he will not add any long-term value to the team, very well may hurt the Steelers late in the year. NFL rosters are ever-changing, so this decision will not ruin the season, but it definitely starts the team off at a disadvantage compared to other organizations that are only rostering two or three quarterbacks.
It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh handles this situation as the season starts and progresses, and if Rudolph will be able to help the team or just be dead weight on the depth chart.
#SteelerNation