The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing critical choices regarding their quarterback lineup as they approach the offseason. With Aaron Rodgers set to retire post-2026 season, the team must determine if his successor is already on their roster.
Currently, the Steelers are witnessing a quarterback competition between two promising players. Drew Allar, a rookie picked in the third round, and Will Howard, a 2025 sixth-round selection, are both in the running to become the starting quarterback for 2027.
Allar made waves during his preseason debut by completing 10 of 13 passes for a total of 153 yards and securing two touchdowns, along with a rushing touchdown. Despite this strong performance, his second outing was less impressive, managing only 11 of 23 passes for 110 yards.
Will Howard, on the other hand, hasn’t stood out significantly. He completed 17 of 24 passes, achieving 160 yards but also made two interceptions across two games.
Based solely on preseason results, Drew Allar seems to have a slight advantage over Howard. However, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette emphasized that performance isn’t the sole factor as both quarterbacks, along with Mason Rudolph, are set to join the team’s 53-man roster post-camp.
“There will be one more preseason game to determine how many quarterbacks Steelers coach Mike McCarthy will keep on his 53-man roster. But he doesn’t need another game to know this: Will Howard and Drew Allar will be on the team,” Dulac reported. “That decision was reached even before Friday night’s 17-0 preseason loss against the New York Jets, team sources told the Post-Gazette.”
This indicates that regardless of their performance in the last preseason game, both Howard and Allar will remain with the Steelers when the roster is finalized after their match against Buffalo.
Mason Rudolph, the only backup with substantial experience, has a 9-9-1 record as a starter over six seasons. However, Pittsburgh seems to be looking beyond him as their future starter.
Looking ahead, Drew Allar and Will Howard could emerge as key contenders for the role of starting quarterback, competing alongside a new draft pick in 2027 when Aaron Rodgers steps down.