Matt Johnson
The Aaron Rodgers saga came to an end early this weekend with the future Hall of Fame quarterback signing a one-year deal to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With that matter settled, the focus now shifts to what Pittsburgh does with its two young signal-callers.
Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show writes that there is “no expectations” from the team for either Will Howard or Drew Allar to play during the 2026 NFL season.
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Prior to Rodgers’ signing, there were reports that a Steelers quarterback competition would be between Howard and Mason Rudolph if the 42-year-old opted to retire. Now that he’s committed to one final season, the dynamic changes significantly.
The new situation figures to see Rudolph serve as the Steelers’ backup quarterback behind Rodgers for the time being. However, training camp could position either Allar or Howard to land the No. 2 job.
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That competition between the two young passers matters because of how the 53-man roster will be constructed. It’s extremely unlikely that Pittsburgh keeps all four quarterbacks on the roster, so either Howard or Allar needs to show enough to overtake Rudolph.
Given that Allar was the 76th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, he’s a lock to make the roster. However, since the Steelers’ coaching staff is completely retooling him as a passer, it’s highly improbable that he’ll ever see the field this season outside of preseason action.
