How Pittsburgh’s quarterback depth splits time on the field this season will play a big role in who gets to take over for Aaron Rodgers next year. Fans got a glimpse of the scenario in the preseason game vs the Packers, with backups Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar all getting a chance to play. Ben Roethlisberger, the last proper franchise quarterback for the Steelers, added an interesting take to the picture.
“I would strongly consider, with my hats on, in my opinion, I would take some reps away from Mason to see what Will Howard can do,” he said on his podcast. “Because you want to see him with the better players.
“I would give him a few one reps — give Aaron the day off. Hey, guess what, get [Howard] in there, give him a chance to see what he can do. That’s how I feel about Will Howard’s day, how he performed, and what I’d like to see moving forward.
The Steelers drafted Drew Allar this year while Mason Rudolph and Will Howard were still there. That made the latter’s path to the QB1 job in 2027 difficult, since it is now a three-man fight. It should essentially come down to two, with many considering Rudolph to be out of the equation by next season. And looking at how the preseason reps panned out, it looks like that might be the case.
Rudolph led two drives, and went 10-of-13 for 93 passing yards. He had zero scores, and was even sacked twice. Fansided’s Cody Williams gave him a C+ grade.
Howard had a different kind of night but still gave the Steelers something positive to work with. After a rough opening series, he settled down and helped lead an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive before halftime. He finished 7-of-9 for 86 yards, showing enough poise to keep the competition interesting rather than allowing Allar to take over the conversation completely.
Allar completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns along with a rushing score. His biggest play came when he connected with fellow rookie Kaden Wetjen on a long completion that set up another scoring opportunity, before later finding Wetjen for a touchdown.
Even though many had doubted about Howard continuing for the Steelers in 2027, it now looks like Rudolph’s job to lose.
The larger conversation on the podcast also touched on quarterback decision-making across the board. Roethlisberger praised all of Pittsburgh’s young passers for avoiding careless turnovers early in camp reps, while pointing out he was initially frustrated watching overly conservative play-calling before coming around on the approach.
He also noted a specific trend catching his eye: tight ends getting more involved in the passing game, something Pittsburgh has talked about prioritizing in the past without always following through.
“We have a great tight end that we didn’t throw the ball to. That doesn’t make sense to me,” he said, referencing what he wants to see change moving forward.
For now, Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s depth chart remains unchanged, but Roethlisberger’s comments add real pressure to a Steelers quarterback room that’s already drawing plenty of debate heading into the 2026 season.
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