Of all the quarterback situations in the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers arguably have the most unique. Four quarterbacks on different timelines, two of which have never taken an NFL snap and one who isn’t under contract and isn’t guaranteed to show up at all.
And then there’s Mason Rudolph.
With the fanbase seemingly split on whether Will Howard or Drew Allar are the future at the postion while begrudgingly accepting that Aaron Rodgers will likely be the starter for this season, Rudolph feels like he’s in no man’s land.
Despite the fanbase’s desire to look ahead to the hope that inherently comes with any young quarterback, Rudolph is a trusted veteran who is valuable as a backup and in the unlikely scenario that Rodgers elects not to return, could step in as a bridge quarterback.
Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly sees the value that Rudolph brings to the quarterback room given the inexperience elsewhere at the position.
“I think after seeing rookie minicamp, the Pittsburgh Steelers not only need Aaron Rodgers, but they need Mason Rudolph, too,” Kaboly said on the Kaboly and Mack podcast. “What I’m saying is, I don’t think either one of those guys [Howard and Allar] are nearly ready for game one of the season. Especially how they’re approaching them, building them up from the ground up.
“You don’t want to throw them out there. This is a learning year again for both of them in my eyes.”
It’s not surprising that the Steelers aren’t ready to turn over the reins of the franchise to either young quarterback, especially before even seeing them in a preseason games. Unfortunately, Howard’s preseason opportunity was wiped out last season by a thumb injury but assuming they are healthy, we should see plenty of both young quarterbacks in the 2026 preseason.
While the suggestion of a learning year for both Howard and Allar isn’t controversial, it begs the question of how the Steelers decide to manage having four quarterbacks. Typically teams carry no more than three quarterbacks on the active roster and more and more the league is trending towards keeping two on the active roster and a third on the practice squad.
The Steelers under Mike Tomlin almost usually kept three on the active roster but we enter new terrain in Mike McCarthy’s first season.
The updated rules about emergency third quarterbacks, which came into effect in 2023, made it more palatable to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster because one could be declared inactive on game days but could enter the game in an emergency scenario where both other quarterbacks were injured.
Four quarterbacks, though? On most teams, that feels like a luxury, especially as injuries hit and roster depth is tested.
Having two quarterbacks who likely wouldn’t dress on gameday is a tough sell. But for a team with no obvious long term answer at the postion, maybe the future is more important than week-to-week roster flexibility.
It was clear at rookie minicamp that McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth were working with Allar on his footwork as they take the long approach to reset his fundamentals. With Rodgers and Rudolph in the fold, there is no rush. For a quarterback like Allar that has all the physical tools, it’s worth the investment to see if a quarterback guru like McCarthy can unlock his potential.
The same goes for Howard. If attending the McCarthy QB school can accelerate his development or raise his ceiling, there’s no reason he can’t have a productive NFL career.
While much will be made about the Steelers quarterback situation between now and Week 1 of the season, the boring truth is that no one really knows how the position will play out. While Rodgers will almost surely be the starter, everything else behind him will likely be determined in Latrobe.
While the Steelers likely envision 2026 as a learning year for Howard and Allar, the possibility exists that one or both of them show enough in training camp and the preseason to be trusted as the backup and make Rudolph expendable.
Until that happens, though, Rudolph remains the safe, trusted veteran presence that the quarterback room filled with so many unknowns needs.
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