Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers have been looking for their next franchise quarterback ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired at the end of the 2021 season.
A few months after “Big Ben” hung it up, the Steelers drafted Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, hoping he would be a worthy successor. Less than two years later, the team traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 2024, the Steelers started the year with Justin Fields, a 2021 first-round pick looking to play up to his potential. After six starts, the Steelers switched to the veteran Russell Wilson. Wilson was only around for a year, and the Steelers replaced him with the great Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers, 42, confirmed that 2026 will be his last season, so barring something crazy, the Steelers will go into 2027, once again, looking for a new starter.
Could they sign another free agent vet? Sure.
But internally, the Steelers have a pair of youngsters in Will Howard (24) and Drew Allar (22), the latter of which they took in this year’s Draft.
During OTAs, Allar got to work with Rodgers, and told Steelers Now what he learned from him.
“I’ve definitely learned a ton,” Allar said. “Like Aaron’s done a great job of just being very open with me, answering all my questions. Pulling me aside during practices, if he sees something, and me asking him a lot of questions. He’s done a great amount of help already for me. So I’m really excited to keep learning from him. And honestly, just keep watching him play.”
Steelers fans could be watching Allar play a lot over the next several years.
6-foot-5, 228 pounds, 22 years old, 1st pro season
Acquired: The Steelers drafted Allar with the 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
He’s the first Penn State QB to ever be drafted by Pittsburgh, but hardly the only former Nittany Lion to become a Steeler. On the current roster alone, Joey Porter Jr., Pat Freiermuth, Jaquan Brisker and Daequan Hardy all played at Penn State, with Porter and Hardy being Allar’s college teammates.
Allar came to Penn State as the No. 1 prep QB in the country. Some Penn State fans wanted him to be the starter right away, but he spent Year 1 being veteran Sean Clifford’s backup. Allar’s chance to lead Penn State came in 2023, and he led PSU to a 10-3 record and New Year’s Six Bowl Game (the Peach Bowl).
It must be said that, when the lights were the brightest, Allar didn’t deliver, and this is a theme that followed Allar for the rest of his college career.
On the road against his boyhood school, Ohio State, Allar went 18 for 42 for 191 yards and a meaningless touchdown mate in a 20-12 loss.
Three weeks later, Penn State hosted eventual national champion Michigan at home, and again, Allar struggled, completing 10 of 22 passes for 70...
