The Pittsburgh Football Podcast

By Chris Gates | The Pittsburgh Football Podcast

The Steelers’ quarterback situation seemed like it might be getting clearer after the first preseason game.

Instead, I think it got more complicated.

After watching Will Howard and Drew Allar play well against the Packers, I was hoping we’d see both young quarterbacks take another step forward in the Steelers’ second preseason game.

If that happened, maybe Pittsburgh could feel comfortable moving forward with Aaron Rodgers as the starter, Howard and Allar developing behind him, and Mason Rudolph becoming expendable.

We got pretty much the exact opposite.

Howard struggled. Allar wasn’t as bad, but he didn’t build on his first performance, either. And somehow, the biggest winner of the Steelers’ second preseason game at quarterback was the guy who didn’t take a snap.

Mason Rudolph.

Mason Rudolph’s case got stronger without playing

My opinion on Rudolph hasn’t really changed.

I don’t think he has much long-term value to the Steelers. He’s not their quarterback of the future, and I don’t think there’s much upside in dedicating a roster spot to him if Pittsburgh can be confident in its younger options.

The problem is that Howard and Allar haven’t given the Steelers enough reason to have that confidence yet.

Howard threw two interceptions in the second preseason game, both while targeting Roman Wilson. There may have been some miscommunication involved, and Wilson potentially deserves some of the blame for where he was on those plays.

But at least on that first interception, nobody was getting that football except the other team.

Howard simply didn’t have a good night.

Allar was better and made some plays in the second half, but the Steelers were shut out, neither young quarterback was particularly efficient, and neither built upon what we saw in the preseason opener.

That’s important.

I wanted the progression to be obvious: a good first game followed by another solid performance that made you increasingly comfortable with the idea of relying on these guys.

Instead, we got a step or two backward.

Because of that, I think Rudolph now pretty clearly needs to be Aaron Rodgers’ backup entering the season.

Rudolph makes sense as Aaron Rodgers’ backup

There are two very different scenarios we need to consider when discussing the Steelers’ backup quarterback.

The first is the normal NFL scenario where Rodgers gets banged up and has to miss a game or two.

That’s where Rudolph has value.

We’ve seen him step into the lineup before and win football games. If Rodgers has to miss a Sunday here or there, I’d feel much more comfortable asking Rudolph to keep the Steelers afloat than throwing Howard or Allar into a situation they may not be ready for.

I also have confidence in Mike McCarthy’s ability as a play caller to put a quarterback like Rudolph in position to succeed.

That’s why, for 2026, I think the top of the depth chart has become pretty straightforward:

• Aaron Rodgers is QB1.
• Mason Rudolph is QB2.

Then things get interesting.

What happens if Rodgers is lost for the season?

This is where my opinion changes.

If Rodgers suffers a season-ending injury, I have very little interest in watching the Steelers hand the rest of the season to Rudolph in an attempt to squeak into the playoffs.

What are we accomplishing at that point?

Maybe Rudolph helps you win enough games to sneak into a wild-card spot. But I don’t think he’s taking the Steelers on a meaningful playoff run, and we already know he’s not the future of the franchise.

In that situation, I’d rather find out what we have in one of the young quarterbacks.

Give Howard or Allar an opportunity. Let them play meaningful NFL snaps. See how they develop. Get actual information that can help you make decisions about 2027.

Because whether we like it or not, that’s already part of this conversation.

Rodgers isn’t going to be the Steelers’ quarterback forever. Somebody else will be starting in Pittsburgh next season.

• Maybe that’s Howard.
• Maybe it’s Aller.
• Maybe it’s a quarterback the Steelers draft in 2027.
• Maybe it’s another veteran they acquire in free agency.

But I don’t think it’s going to be Rudolph.

So if Rodgers were lost for an extended period, I’d rather use that unfortunate situation to start figuring out the future.

Should the Steelers actually keep four quarterbacks?

That’s the question I’ve gone back and forth on throughout the preseason.

Ideally, I don’t want the Steelers carrying four quarterbacks.

NFL roster spots are too valuable.

If Rodgers and Rudolph are your top two quarterbacks, carrying Howard and Allar means you’re dedicating four spots to one position while knowing one or potentially two of those players may never take a meaningful snap this season.

Every extra quarterback you carry means one fewer offensive lineman, defensive back, wide receiver or player at another position where depth could become incredibly important.

And we’ve already seen some concerns about the Steelers’ depth throughout the preseason, particularly along the offensive line.

That’s why I wanted Howard and Allar to make this decision easier.

They haven’t.

At this point, I’m starting to think keeping all four may be the right decision.

Carrying four quarterbacks is a 2027 move

If there’s a way to keep all four quarterbacks in the organization, I think the Steelers should probably try to do it.

Maybe that means carrying all four on the active roster. Maybe they can find a creative way to get one of the younger quarterbacks onto the practice squad.

Whatever the mechanism, the goal should be keeping Howard and Allar around and continuing to develop both.

That’s not necessarily the best move for the 2026 Steelers.

It’s a move for the 2027 Steelers.

Carrying four quarterbacks this season could hurt Pittsburgh’s depth elsewhere. That’s a legitimate downside, and it’s why I haven’t loved the idea throughout this process.

But quarterback is too important, and the Steelers need to start figuring out what comes after Rodgers.

Having Howard and Allar developing in the building gives you two potential options. Add another quarterback through the draft or free agency next offseason, and suddenly you could have a legitimate competition to find your next starter.

The Steelers need as many swings as possible at this position.

If dedicating an extra roster spot to quarterback in 2026 gives them a better chance of finding their guy for 2027 and beyond, that may simply be the price worth paying.

One preseason game left to figure it out

I can’t remember many Steelers preseason roster battles that have been this fascinating.

Normally, we’re debating the final receiver or offensive lineman who will make the roster.

This time, we’re talking about how many quarterbacks an NFL team should carry and trying to balance what gives the Steelers their best chance to win right now with what gives them the best chance to solve the most important position on the roster in the future.

After two preseason games, I think the hierarchy is becoming clearer.

Rodgers is the starter.

Rudolph has done enough — ironically, without even playing in the second preseason game — to solidify himself as the backup.

And Howard and Allar have shown enough potential that I don’t want the Steelers giving up on either one.

That leaves us with an imperfect solution: Keep all four if you can.

I don’t necessarily love it.

But with one preseason game remaining and the Steelers’ quarterback situation beyond 2026 completely unsettled, it may be their best option.