Steelers quarterbacks Howard Allar
Steelers quarterbacks Howard Allar
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is adamant that 2026 will be his last season in the NFL. But he has a good idea of what the Steelers’ future at quarterback will hold.
Appearing on Schein on Sports on Mad Dog Sports Radio, Rodgers continued to praise second-year QB Will Howard and rookie QB Drew Allar, telling Adam Schein that he believes both have a “bright future in the league.”
Rodgers reiterated how impressed he was with Howard last season before his injury and noted that this is basically his rookie season, adding that Howard and Allar are “100%” two of the best 53 players on the roster.
“Will was kinda like a rookie this year because he broke his hand in camp last year and missed the entire preseason,” Rodgers said. “Up until that point, he was playing excellent. Like, I was super impressed with his like first 10 days of camp before he got hurt. He was playing really damn good. But at the same time, he hadn’t played in the preseason game.”
Rodgers praised Allar’s development throughout training camp and his preseason performance.
“Drew came in, drafted high, and I thought he really got better throughout camp and played really good in the preseason,” Rodgers said, noting how preseason can be tougher when quarterbacks are playing with guys around them who might not even make the practice squad. “So I think he handled himself really well. And I felt like both guys are really efficient. And I think they’ve got a bright future.
“It’s not surprising to look at the future and know that those two are gonna be a part of what the Steelers do at quarterback once they put me out to pasture. So I’m excited for those guys and glad they’re on the roster because I like those guys a lot. They’re good young kids and they care about it and they ask a lot of questions, and I love helping them out.”
Once again, Rodgers is embracing the mentor role, which shouldn’t come as a surprise after last season. Last year, he helped Howard along even when he was on IR, having him perform special projects to help him learn the ins and outs of being an NFL quarterback. Adding Allar to the mix brings along another young quarterback that he can work with and help mentor, and he’s already seen a lot of progression from the third-round pick.
Mike McCarthy said his favorite thing in reuniting with Rodgers was watching him take on a mentor role and work with the younger quarterbacks. Howard and Allar are putting the work in to try and get better, and Rodgers is noticing that and making it a point to help them improve.
It speaks a lot to Howard and Allar as players and people that they’re willing to ask questions and go to Rodgers and put the work in. Rodgers will pour into his teammates if they show the willingness and work ethic to do what it takes to improve their performance and match the work ethic that made him a four-time MVP. Of course, it’s also an ideal situation for Howard and Allar to have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time to look up to and learn from, and they’re taking full advantage of that opportunity.
With a 2027 quarterback draft class that is showing strong early returns, there’s going to be speculation about whether the Steelers draft a quarterback early next year to be their franchise guy. But Rodgers seems to think that Howard and/or Allar have the makings of being the team’s future at the position.
Allar, in particular, was regarded as a potential top prospect, but an injury his senior year at Penn State, after underperforming to start the year, caused him to fall to the third round. Rodgers also noted McCarthy’s track record of developing quarterbacks, and there’s a real chance that the Steelers roll with one of Howard or Allar next year to see if they can be the team’s franchise guy.
The time they’ve put in learning from Rodgers, and the time Rodgers has put into them, could certainly help that case. It’s not a conversation that’s on the top of anyone’s mind right now with Week 1 just six days away, but it’s notable that Rodgers feels strongly about Howard and Allar to put it out there that he thinks they’ll be the future at the position for the Steelers.