If you take Mike McCarthy at his word, it appears the Steelers' initial 53-man roster will indeed include each of the team's four quarterbacks. McCarthy again alluded to that likelihood following Pittsburgh's preseason finale on Thursday, a 28-27 loss in Buffalo that saw second-year quarterback Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar take the entirety of the snaps. Howard, who started the game and played the entire first half, went 9 of 15 for 69 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Allar, who played the entire second half, went 9 of 18 for 88 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. "I feel good about the quarterback room," McCarthy said. "I've been saying it for quite some time, and they've showed it on the field.
We've got two veterans that we can win with, and we've got two young guys that we're really excited about their future." While it appears that keeping all four quarterbacks is the plan, nothing is set in stone until Pittsburgh is required to finalize its initial 53-man roster. If the Steelers decide to change course between now and Sunday night, here's a hypothetical rundown of which quarterback they should start, bench, and cut/trade. This was a pretty each choice, but is it the right one?
It depends on how you view the Steelers' prospects for the 2026 season. Most oddsmakers have set their Over/Under at 8.5 wins, which once again puts Pittsburgh on the cusp of making the playoffs. It's the classic glass half full/half empty metaphor.
The Steelers have gone 10-7 with a wild card playoff loss each of the last three years. One logic is that Rodgers' return gives a relatively talented roster another run at ending the franchise's 10-year drought without a playoff win. The other is that Pittsburgh should prioritize finding its next franchise quarterback even if that means jeopardizing the franchise's record of 22 consecutive non-losing seasons.
The Steelers are clear believers in trying to contend for a title every year, which is why Rodgers is back for a second and final season with the black and gold. Rodgers, even at the advanced age of 42, probably gives the Steelers the best chance at winning a playoff game and perhaps more than that. There are clear limits to being a 42-year-old quarterback.
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