The Steelers’ quarterback room still looks crowded, and Mason Rudolph may be the one who benefits most from it.
For a while, Rudolph seemed like the obvious odd man out after Pittsburgh added Aaron Rodgers, Drew Allar and Will Howard. But that cut is looking less likely now, with coach Mike McCarthy apparently open to keeping Rudolph in the mix as the Steelers sort through a messy 2026 offensive picture.
McCarthy’s view of Rudolph has shifted after what he’s seen in training camp, according to Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"I can't tell you how pleased I am with him. The experience that he's gained, I think, is incredibly valuable to us.
But the footwork is different. Throws are better than I knew.
Just like anything in the quarterback room, you really don't know until you stand next to them or you're out there on the field, really how each guy throws the ball," the Steelers head coach declared.
That kind of praise matters because Pittsburgh is juggling a lot at the position. Rodgers is being lined up for what could be a final season, while Allar, the Steelers’ third-round 2026 NFL Draft pick, and Howard, their sixth-round 2025 NFL Draft pick, are both players McCarthy needs to develop.
Rudolph already gave the Steelers a look in 2025, appearing in five regular-season games, including one start, plus a playoff game. He finished that stretch with 310 passing yards, a 73.1% completion percentage and two touchdown passes. That production still doesn’t match the 1,530 passing yards he posted with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, but it was enough to show Pittsburgh what he can offer in a supporting role.
The logic here is pretty clear: if Rodgers is going to get the bulk of the work, Rudolph gives the Steelers a more experienced fallback when the veteran needs a breather or can’t keep carrying the offense at the same level. That would leave Allar and Howard learning mostly from the sideline.
NFL teams usually trim the quarterback room down to three. Pittsburgh may be willing to bend that pattern and keep four, at least for now. The final call still has to be made, but Rudolph’s camp performance has given him a real shot to stick.
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