Matt Johnson
The Pittsburgh Steelers are still awaiting a decision from quarterback Aaron Rodgers on whether or not he’ll play in the 2026 NFL season. As the process gets dragged out even further, it appears there’s now a contingency plan in place.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora reports that the Steelers are not pursuing any other veteran options in NFL free agency or via trade. Instead, the team would have a quarterback battle between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard thi summer.
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While there’s genuine excitement in the organization regarding third-round pick Drew Allar, who is being coached up by Mike McCarthy, the rookie isn’t ready to see the field anytime soon. Rudolph would presumably be the favorite to win the Steelers’ starting quarterback competition, but it will be an open battle.
The Steelers’ organization is reportedly “very excited about” Howard’s development entering his second season. While the Allar selection added some uncertainty to Howard’s future in Pittsburgh, he remains a signal-caller who the organization is very high on.
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In his career as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, Allar has posted an 8-5-1 record in 14 starts. He also boasts a 21-13 TD-INT ratio with an 86.7 passer rating in 26 career appearances with Pittsburgh. Howard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, never saw the field in his rookie season.
For now, the tentative expectation remains that Rodgers will announce his return and be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2026. If he retires, a team some view as a playoff contender this upcoming season could instead be headed for a transition year where it struggles to post a winning record.
