The Aaron Rodgers saga came to an end earlier this weekend with the future Hall of Fame quarterback signing a one-year deal to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With that matter resolved, the focus now turns to what Pittsburgh does with its two young signal-callers.
Steelers reporter Mark Kaboli Pat McAfee Show Writes that the team has "no expectation" for Will Howard or Drew Elar to play during the 2026 NFL season.
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Prior to Rodgers' signing, there were reports that the Steelers quarterback competition would be between Howard and Mason Rudolph if the 42-year-old opted to retire. Now that he's committed to one final season, the dynamics have changed significantly.
The new situation suggests Rudolph will serve as the Steelers' backup quarterback behind Rodgers for some time. However, training camp could position Allar or Howard for the No. 2 job.
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The competition between the two young passers matters because of how the 53-man roster will be constructed. It's very unlikely that Pittsburgh will keep all four quarterbacks on the roster, so either Howard or Elar will need to perform well enough to overtake Rudolph.
Considering that Allar was the 76th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, he is all set to make the roster. However, since the Steelers' coaching staff is drafting him solely as a passer, it is extremely unlikely that he will see the field anytime soon outside of preseason action this season.
