The Pittsburgh Steelers have made their final decision on their quarterback room for the 2026 NFL season, and Mike McCarthy has chosen the unconventional route of keeping all four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar will remain in Pittsburgh as the Steelers enter the regular season with one of the deepest quarterback rooms in the NFL.
The decision came after Will Howard briefly created some uncertainty Sunday morning with a cryptic Instagram post. The young quarterback shared photos from training camp and the preseason with the caption “Gratitude”, leading some fans to wonder whether he was saying goodbye to Pittsburgh before the roster deadline. Instead, Howard is staying.
Steelers are keeping four quarterbacks
Keeping four quarterbacks is unusual in the NFL because every roster spot is extremely valuable, particularly at positions where injuries can quickly create depth problems.
However, Pittsburgh appears to believe the potential of Howard and Allar is too valuable to risk losing either player. Allar, a 2026 third-round pick, was always expected to have a strong chance of making the roster.
Howard, meanwhile, entered the offseason as a young quarterback the Steelers have continued to praise and develop. Reports had indicated that Pittsburgh was planning to keep both young quarterbacks rather than expose either one to the possibility of being claimed by another team. That means the Steelers are willing to sacrifice a roster spot elsewhere in order to protect what they believe could be their quarterback future.
What’s the Steelers QB depth chart for 2026?
Aaron Rodgers will enter the season as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, with Mason Rudolph behind him as the primary backup. Will Howard and Drew Allar will then occupy the third and fourth spots, respectively.
Rodgers remains the clear QB1, while Rudolph provides Pittsburgh with a veteran option if the starter misses time. Behind them, the Steelers can develop two young quarterbacks without immediately forcing either player into a starting role.
The order between Howard and Allar could ultimately change as their development continues, but both will have the opportunity to learn from Rodgers and Rudolph.
