The Pittsburgh Steelers may already have their next franchise quarterback on the roster, and Mike McCarthy appears to believe Drew Allar was one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft.
During an interview with Pat McAfee, the Steelers head coach revealed just how highly Pittsburgh valued Allar before selecting him in the third round. The comments are particularly significant because Aaron Rodgers is only expected to be the Steelers’ short-term answer at quarterback, leaving the future of the position wide open beyond the 2026 season.
The Steelers also have Will Howard, a national championship-winning quarterback from Ohio State, but he arrived as a sixth-round pick. Allar’s draft profile was considerably different before his injury in 2025, when he was widely viewed as a potential first-round selection.
Who will be Steelers next franchise QB?
Mike McCarthy made it clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers did not view Drew Allar as a typical third-round quarterback when they selected him. That’s why the Steelers might have found the future.
“First and foremost, if we go back to the draft process, when we drafted Drew we felt like we were getting a first round pick. Just the value that our personnel department had on him coming out of his junior year and just sit and listen to all the reports as you talked about the timeline of his career. What happened in his senior year, he had the injury and so forth.”
That evaluation explains why Pittsburgh was willing to use a third-round pick on Allar despite the quarterback’s complicated final college season at Penn State. The Steelers’ personnel department apparently believed his talent and previous evaluation were much closer to a first-round player.
McCarthy’s comments also suggest that Pittsburgh sees the third-round selection as an opportunity to develop a quarterback who could eventually take over the franchise.
Could Drew Allar replace Aaron Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers remains the Steelers’ starting quarterback for 2026, but his presence does not solve Pittsburgh’s long-term problem. Rodgers is entering the later stages of his career, meaning the Steelers will eventually need to identify the next quarterback capable of leading the team. That makes Allar one of the most important developmental players on the roster.
The former Penn State quarterback had been viewed as a potential first-round talent before his 2025 injury changed his trajectory. Instead of entering the league near the top of the draft, Allar fell to Pittsburgh in the third round. That could ultimately turn into a massive win for the Steelers if he develops as expected.
Steelers QB dilemma after 2026
The Steelers already have two intriguing young quarterbacks behind Rodgers. Will Howard brings championship experience from Ohio State, but his sixth-round draft status indicates that Pittsburgh viewed him as a developmental prospect.
Allar is different. His pre-injury evaluation had him firmly in the first-round conversation, and McCarthy’s comments confirm that Pittsburgh’s internal evaluation remained extremely high.
The Steelers now have the luxury of developing him behind Rodgers rather than immediately throwing him into the starting role. That could give Allar time to recover, learn the offense and adjust to the NFL before potentially being asked to lead the team.
If McCarthy’s assessment proves correct, the Steelers may have found their next franchise quarterback without having to spend a first-round pick on him. For now, Rodgers is the present. But when the veteran quarterback eventually moves on, Drew Allar could be the player Pittsburgh identified as the future.
