The Pittsburgh Steelers intend to carry an unusual four quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster, a move confirmed by head coach Mike McCarthy. This decision deviates from the league norm, where most teams opt to carry a maximum of three quarterbacks.
"I feel good about the quarterback room," McCarthy stated, "I’ve been saying it for quite some time, and they’ve shown it on the field. We got two veterans that we can win with, and we got two young guys that we’re excited about the future."
The Steelers' quarterback contingent includes veteran Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to start, and Mason Rudolph, who is presumed to be the primary backup. Adding to the group are Will Howard, a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, and Drew Allar, a third-round selection from the 2026 draft.
Both Howard and Allar have reportedly shown encouraging signs during preseason activities. In a preseason win against Green Bay, Howard completed 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards, while Allar connected on 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and accounted for three touchdowns. During a recent preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Howard started and completed 9 of 15 passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns before exiting due to a head injury evaluation. Allar took over in the second half, completing 9 of 18 passes for 88 yards and leading one touchdown drive.
Despite these performances, McCarthy indicated that neither young quarterback has done enough to make the team risk losing them on waivers. The team's long-term vision for Howard and Allar involves them developing and potentially competing for the starting job in 2027, after Rodgers is expected to retire.