Steelers' Will Howard Gets Extremely Unfortunate News About His Future In Pittsburgh

One of the biggest stories of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2026 offseason was the backup quarterback situation. With Aaron Rodgers set to start, there was an intriguing battle between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. Then, a rookie third-round pick in Drew Allar was also injected into the signal-callers' room. While it was always known who would be first on the depth chart, there was some confusion about who would come after the four-time MVP. Ultimately, the team decided to keep all four around for the campaign, with none of them landing on Injured Reserve (IR), despite that being a loophole to save a roster spot.

The future at the most important position in football is still murky in the Steel City. Both Howard and Allar have talent; however, neither has convinced anyone that he deserves to be the long-term starter. The preseason was important for them both. With that said, there still could be another individual not named Rodgers or Rudolph added to the group in 2027.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy is known to be a quarterback guru, so it is ideal for there to be a couple of young passers on the depth chart. On top of that, there is no real pressure on either guy because there are two individuals ahead of them. It could, however, potentially get extremely interesting once the 2027 NFL Draft is approaching.

Currently, Howard is the emergency third quarterback on game days. That isn't expected to change unless there is some kind of injury that occurs. That doesn't mean, though, that things can't change when one is thinking about the future of the organization. In a fan chat hosted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac on Wednesday, the beat writer was asked about how McCarthy might be feeling about the two youngsters.

"Gerry, I was really impressed with Drew Allar in his preseason appearances, I thought he had 'rock star' written all over him," a fan noted. "[Will] Howard looked like a career backup. Where do you think Mike McCarthy is at on the two of them based on preseason?"

While the reporter didn't fully agree with the analysis about how good Allar can be, he did hint that the coaching staff is already favoring the rookie, which could spell bad news for Howard.

"I wouldn't go that far about Allar, but I get your point. And, believe it or not, you're not far wrong," Dulac responded.

Allar and Howard are pretty different in terms of their strengths. The first-year player has a rocket of an arm and can really get around using his legs. The second-year signal-caller is known for his accuracy. When a coach is looking at the future and who projects better, it shouldn't come off as a surprise if the preference is the shinier toy, if you will.

The reporting from Dulac is interesting to say the least. The most important part to digest, though, is that a battle between these two guys is unlikely to commence until the next calendar year. Even then, the Steelers taking a quarterback early in the NFL Draft is a strong possibility. For now, however, it seems as if Allar is in a better place with McCarthy and Co.

There is plenty of time for both guys to make their marks. In the middle of a season, it becomes a bit tougher because Rodgers and Rudolph will be getting the majority of the repetitions.

Steelers Are Very Lucky To Have Some Promising Young QBs

The long-term success of both Howard and Allar is up in the air. The good news is that McCarthy is working with them both, and they are a part of a consistent franchise. Fans will not be discussing this battle for some time with the regular season starting, but Dulac's thoughts are notable. Allar could already have the upper hand in the Steelers' facility.

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