PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have four quarterbacks on their roster and don't know how many they'll keep, or which of the four they're going to keep, in 2026.
Drew Allar and Aaron Rodgers are likely locks as Rodgers returns for his final NFL season and Allar is a third-round rookie and the first QB drafted to Pittsburgh by head coach Mike McCarthy.
That leaves Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. The debate on which of the two they will and should keep continues to heat up, and won't slow down until the preseason comes to an end, and it's brought up a way for the team to keep all four quarterbacks - technically.
The talk amongst the Steelers fanbase, and even some media, is a "ghost injury." The Steelers will want to keep both Howard and Rudolph and to do so, will put Allar on Injured Reserve with the slightest tweak of an ankle or pull of a muscle. His entire 2026 season will then be spent "nursing" his injury and working with the QBs during meetings and off the field.
It's hit the point where people are using this as a logical outcome for the Steelers' quarterback room, and frankly, it's a wild theory to be carrying around.
Why Steelers Won't Do This
Yes, Mike Tomlin kept Howard on IR for most of the 2025 season despite Howard being healthy before the final roster cuts had to be made. The decision came because Skylar Thompson looked good during the preseason and the team wanted to keep him and Rudolph on the roster, but didn't want to put Howard on the practice squad.
It's different this year.
Howard didn't have a future in Pittsburgh under Tomlin. He was the backup for years to come, eventually replacing Rudolph. Allar isn't viewed the same way.
McCarthy doesn't want to waste a year of Allar. If the rookie were on IR, he wouldn't be able to practice, which gives McCarthy zero film to evaluate him and no opportunity to work in person on his mechanics.
May 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy observes OTA drills at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The head coach wants to be able to do all that. So, putting him on Injured Reserve is a plan that simply doesn't work.
Howard and Rudolph, on the other hand, could work, but won't. If Howard isn't good enough to win the backup quarterback job, he can be put on the practice squad without any issue. If he is good enough to be the backup, the Steelers don't need Rudolph around.
So, next time someone tosses out the "fake injury" theory for the Steelers' quarterback room, remind them that the chances of it happening are slim to none. And if it's Allar, the Steelers just drafted a project to let it sit on the sideline - which doesn't follow their plan at all.
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