The Pittsburgh Steelers may have finally reached a decision regarding their QB room heading into the 2026 NFL regular season. After the team’s preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills, head coach Mike McCarthy strongly suggested that all four quarterbacks have done enough to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
The Steelers entered the offseason with Aaron Rodgers as their clear starting quarterback, but the competition behind him remained one of the biggest questions surrounding the team. Mason Rudolph returned as an experienced veteran, while Will Howard and Drew Allar were trying to prove they deserved to remain on the roster.
Now, McCarthy’s latest comments appear to indicate that Pittsburgh could be willing to carry all four quarterbacks rather than risk losing either of its promising young players.
Steelers will keep four QBs on their roster
When Mike McCarthy was asked whether his quarterbacks had done enough to earn a roster spot, the head coach gave an answer that sounded remarkably definitive.
“I think that’s a very accurate evaluation. I feel good about the quarterback room. I’ve been saying it for quite some time, and they’ve showed it on the field. So, we got two veterans that we can win with, and we got two young guys that we’re really excited about their future.”
That strongly suggests Pittsburgh does not want to sacrifice any of the four quarterbacks before the regular season begins. It also sounds like a significant endorsement of Howard and Allar even after their complicated preseason performances.
What’s the Steelers’ QB depth chart?
If Pittsburgh ultimately carries four quarterbacks, the likely order is fairly easy to project. Aaron Rodgers would remain the unquestioned starting quarterback. The veteran was brought in to lead the Steelers’ offense in 2026 and remains the centerpiece of McCarthy’s team.
Mason Rudolph would then appear to be the QB2. His experience in Pittsburgh and familiarity with the organization give him a clear advantage over the two rookies when it comes to immediately stepping into the offense.
Behind them, Will Howard and Drew Allar would likely occupy the third and fourth quarterback spots. That arrangement would allow the Steelers to develop both young quarterbacks without exposing either player to the practice squad.
That is important because Pittsburgh could take a significant risk by trying to sneak one of them through waivers. A quarterback with the potential the Steelers see in Howard or Allar could easily attract interest from another team.
Steelers QB decision is risky
There is, however, a significant downside to keeping four quarterbacks. NFL rosters have limited space, and every quarterback occupies a spot that could otherwise be used to provide additional depth at another position.
Carrying four passers could force Pittsburgh to make difficult decisions elsewhere, particularly at positions where injuries can quickly create depth problems.
The Steelers will therefore have to determine whether keeping both Howard and Allar is worth sacrificing depth somewhere else. For now, McCarthy appears to believe the answer is yes.
