The Pittsburgh Steelers made one of the strangest roster calls in the league by keeping four quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster. Aaron Rodgers is the starter, with Mason Rudolph, Drew Allar and Will Howard backing him up.
There’s a clear reason Pittsburgh went that route. The Steelers are banking on either Allar or Howard becoming the future at quarterback once Rodgers retires after this season, and Rudolph gives them a dependable insurance policy if the 42-year-old goes down.
Still, carrying four quarterbacks probably won’t last all year if the Steelers need to open up a roster spot. That’s where the Atlanta Falcons come in.
Atlanta’s quarterback situation has turned into a mess. The team’s expected starter, Tua Tagovailoa, suffered an oblique injury right before Week 1, and there’s no clear timetable for his return. Cooper Rush stepped in, but he may not be at full strength, and Michael Penix Jr. is also out, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting it could be as much as another month before he’s back.
If the Falcons want something better than Rush, the Steelers are a logical team to call about Rudolph. Among Pittsburgh’s four quarterbacks, he’s the most movable piece. His career has already been defined: solid backup.
Pittsburgh could try to hold onto Rudolph in case Rodgers gets hurt, but the team also has a reason to let its younger quarterbacks see the field if Rodgers goes down, especially with next year’s NFL Draft expected to be loaded at the position. Rudolph is also in the final year of his contract, so he may not be part of the picture beyond this season anyway.
The price should be manageable. A Day 3 pick - a fifth-rounder at most - sounds like enough to make a deal.
And Rudolph would at least give Atlanta a steadier option. He’s already shown he can be better than Rush over the course of his career, and this version of Tua probably isn’t ahead of him either. Penix is harder to project, but the Falcons can’t count on him right now, and even if he does return, his injury history leaves plenty of uncertainty.
If Kevin Stefanski wants to avoid a disastrous first season in Atlanta, he would be wise to explore his options at quarterback outside of the building.
Rudolph isn’t a great one, but he can make Atlanta’s offense respectable, which is all the Falcons can hope for right now.
In Other News...
Kevin Stefanski Just Made Atlanta's QB Mess Even More Intriguing
Kevin Stefanskis decision to take the Falcons job gives Atlanta a new voice at a time when the quarterback situation is already unsettled. The roster has been dealing with injuries to Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, leaving the position in a murky spot, but Stefanski still viewed the opportunity as one worth taking over other options, including the Tennessee Titans.
For Atlanta, that makes the hire about more than just the present tense. Stefanski is clearly looking at the bigger picture, seeing enough potential in the roster to believe the QB issue can be addressed over time, including through the draft. The immediate questions around who will actually run the offense are still there, but the long-term plan just became a lot more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookies Already Created One Big Debate After Week 1
The Falcons 2026 rookie class got its first real look in Week 1 against the Steelers, and it was enough to spark an early conversation about how quickly Atlanta should lean on first-year talent. Avieon Terrell and Zachariah Branch both flashed in ways that suggested they can help right away, while Kendal Daniels showed the kind of athleticism that usually keeps coaches interested even when the tape is not perfectly clean. The early evaluations, including the Pro Football Focus grades, only added more fuel to the discussion.
For a team trying to sort out its depth and find reliable contributors early in the season, the varying rookie performances already pose a familiar question: who has earned more snaps, and who still needs time to settle in? Terrell and Branch gave the Falcons some encouraging signs, but Daniels tackling issues also served as a reminder that Week 1 can sharpen expectations just as fast as it raises them. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Uncertainty Just Got Real Before Panthers Opener
The Falcons quarterback situation has gone from a talking point to a genuine pregame decision as they settle in for Sundays home opener against the Panthers. Desmond Rush and Michael Penix Jr. split first-team reps in practice Wednesday, a sign Atlanta is still weighing its options after opening the season with a loss, while Carolina arrives with the same one-game blemish on its record.
For a team trying to steady itself early, the uncertainty only adds to the pressure of a divisional matchup that already carries extra weight. Tua Tagovailoa did not practice because of injury, leaving Atlanta to sort through its depth chart and decide how much continuity matters versus the need for a spark in front of its home crowd. [Read more 🡒]