The Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie minicamp created some buzz surrounding quarterback Drew Allar. A lot of attention focused on Allar’s work, particularly his footwork. A report also came out that the Steelers are uninstalling everything Allar has learned, stripping him down to the studs and then building him back up. While this may worry some fans, reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala cautioned people not to overreact.
“Before we get too worked up about the Steelers reworking Drew Allar’s footwork, this happens with nearly every young QB who has a new coach,” Kinkhabwala wrote Thursday on Twitter. “The Bears’ Ben Johnson had Caleb Williams change his shotgun stance, switching to his left foot forward instead of his right. Drake Maye did the same under then-Patriots OC Alex Van Pelt.
“Bryce Young entirely retooled his footwork with Panthers HC Dave Canales, most notably getting off his toes. Coaches want to mold young QBs into their way of doing things. Every year we meet with a QB who’s had a new coach revamp/rebuild/overhaul his footwork. (Liam Coen did it with Trevor Lawrence last year.) Guarantee we meet with another one this year!”
Before we get too worked up about the #Steelers reworking Drew Allar’s footwork, this happens with nearly EVERY young QB who has a new coach.
The #Bears’ Ben Johnson had Caleb Williams change his shotgun stance, switching to his left foot forward instead of right. Drake Maye did…
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) May 14, 2026
No quarterback walks into the NFL as a finished product. Even some of the best rookies have struggled. Players like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers didn’t dominate immediately. It took time for them to become all-time greats.
Is Allar the same as Brady, Rodgers, or any of the quarterbacks that Kinkhabwala mentioned? No. He was a third-round pick who some thought was taken too early. There’s no guarantee that he’ll develop into a quality NFL player.
So it shouldn’t be surprising that the Steelers are rebuilding Allar’s mechanics. He’s got a lot of flaws, especially with his footwork. If he didn’t, then he would’ve been long gone by the time the third round started.
Allar has rare arm talent, so he’s worth taking a chance on. While he has a lot to work on, he’s got a high ceiling. If the Steelers fix some of his issues, he could answer their question at quarterback.
Mike McCarthy has been down this road before, too. The Steelers hired him partly because of his history working with quarterbacks. He has helped develop Rodgers, Matt Hasselbeck, and Aaron Brooks. It’s fair to trust that he knows what he’s doing with Allar. Even with McCarthy’s coaching, it’ll take time for the young quarterback to be ready for NFL action. Patience is important with young players.
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