When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, it signaled a new chapter in their search for a franchise quarterback. But not everyone is convinced—including the man who once held that title for nearly two decades.
Ben Roethlisberger, the legendary Steelers quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion, isn't buying the hype around the 6-foot-5, 228-pound signal-caller out of Penn State. "He never jumped off the page to me," Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast. "Is he big? Can he move? Can he throw? Yeah, but there was never a time I was like, 'Whoa.'"
Allar now enters a quarterback room that already includes 2025 draft pick Will Howard and veteran backup Mason Rudolph—and potentially future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, who has yet to make a decision about joining the Steelers in 2026. The fact that Pittsburgh is waiting on a 42-year-old quarterback to potentially start tells you everything you need to know about the urgency for a long-term solution under center.
On paper, Allar has the tools. In his final two college seasons (2023-2024), he threw for nearly 6,000 yards, 49 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions. He has a big arm, plus-athleticism, and the prototypical frame scouts covet. But as NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noted in his scouting report, the more responsibility Allar took on within Penn State's offense, the more his performance suffered. He also struggled when facing pressure—a major red flag for a position that demands poise under duress.
That pressure—both from expectations and opposing defenses—will only intensify at the NFL level. And with playbooks growing increasingly complex, Allar will need to make significant strides in his development to succeed. The good news? He may have a year to learn behind Rodgers, who is expected to sign with Pittsburgh soon.
By all accounts, the Steelers still have faith in Howard. Head coach Mike McCarthy has praised the young quarterback throughout the offseason, and the selection of Allar doesn't change that. Pittsburgh appears committed to keeping both young passers on the roster, hedging their bets for the future. The player most impacted by the move? Probably Rudolph. While he's a reliable backup, his ceiling is known, and he isn't the long-term answer.
McCarthy has mentioned the possibility of carrying four quarterbacks, but in today's NFL, most teams barely keep three. That means tough decisions are ahead. And while relying on two unproven youngsters behind a 42-year-old starter is risky, the Steelers are betting that development time now will pay off later.