The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to give it one last try to compete for a championship with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, but they also have three quarterbacks developing behind him.
Veteran Mason Rudolph will be back for his eighth season as a Steeler, and two young quarterbacks in 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard and 2026 third-rounder Drew Allar will be waiting in the wings for a fanbase tired of veteran stopgaps. Per head coach Mike McCarthy, the more experienced backup will get the first crack at QB2 reps just in case Rodgers starts to falter.
McCarthy said that Rudolph will start camp as the No. 2 quarterback, while Allar and Howard will split reps behind him as they compete for the No. 3 job. If this depth chart holds for the foreseeable future, Steelers fans who were hoping to see either Howard or Allar on the field may need to give up on that dream.
Pittsburgh Steelers say Mason Rudolph is QB2, Drew Allar and Will Howard fighting for QB3
Howard, who won a national championship at Ohio State, is a well-rounded prospect who blends mobility, size, and accuracy. However, the arm talent is just average, and there were plenty of unremarkable seasons at Kansas State that weren't as impressive as when he was surrounded by a dozen future pros in Columbus.
Every NFL Draft class has one tall pocket passer with a rocket arm who hasn't put it all together, and Allar fits the bill this time around. He can throw the ball 50 yards on the fly and can avoid turnovers, but he is coming off a major injury and has shown to be below par when he is forced to make plays out of the pocket.
Steelers fans are well-versed in what Rudolph brings to the table. The former Oklahoma State third-round pick, who has thrown for 21 touchdowns against 13 interceptions with the Steelers, will be accurate enough to operate an offense and can make throws when kept clean, but elevating talent around him is where he falls flat.
Pittsburgh's quarterback room is going to be the subject of plenty of debate during the 2026 season, as Rodgers is not what he once was, and fans might get irritated about stuffing two drafted players far down on the depth chart for most of the season. McCarthy is trying to get out in front of that noise by establishing the depth chart early on.
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