The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a bit of a predicament with the 2026 NFL season still months away. With Aaron Rodgers firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback for 2026, the other three QBs currently under contract all have a case to join him on the 53-man roster. With only two spots realistically up for grabs, this could create a real dilemma for Mike McCarthy and his staff.
Mason Rudolph is the veteran backup that many teams prefer to employ. 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard has been consistently praised by the Steelers coaching staff this offseason, despite playing zero snaps in the NFL so far. Third-round rookie Drew Allar's case is perhaps the strongest, as he was drafted under this new staff and has the most impressive traits of the three by far.
This all means that at least one roster-worthy player will either need to be cut or stashed on the practice squad, where another team would likely poach them given the lack of QB depth around the NFL. If Pittsburgh is dead set on having a veteran available behind Rodgers while the two young guys work on their craft, I may have just the solution they need without exposing Howard or Allar to being poached: Former Cowboys and Ravens QB Cooper Rush.
Cooper Rush could be the solution to the Pittsburgh Steelers' QB conundrum
Just days before Rodgers returned to the Steelers on a one-year deal, our own Tommy Jaggi broke down why Rush could have been a fallback option for McCarthy had the four-time MVP hung up his cleats. For many of the same reasons, I believe Rush could be the happy medium the Steelers are looking for at QB. Let me explain.
Rush was...let's say below-average last season in Baltimore when asked to step in for an injured Lamar Jackson, starting two games and throwing for just 303 yards with zero touchdowns and four interceptions. Thanks to that performance, teams don't seem to be knocking down his door at the moment to offer him a deal.
Rush performed much better while playing under McCarthy in Dallas, with a 9-5 record as a starter while throwing for 3,463 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He clearly understands and knows how to thrive in his system, and that knowledge would be a great asset for Howard and Allar.
The best part? Rush could be placed on the practice squad to start the season, only being called up if Rodgers were to go down for an extended period. He would be less likely to be poached by opposing teams than Rudolph, and he could continue to serve as a resource for the young QBs Pittsburgh hopes to develop. This would mean the end for Rudolph in Pittsburgh, but he would likely latch on elsewhere.
Do I expect them to go this route? Honestly, probably not. But I believe it could be a creative way to have their cake and eat it too.
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