Pittsburgh Steelers summer vacation’s over, training camp begins today.
First day at work, 4 players—Aaron Rodgers, Drew Allar, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard—all competing for one job, with a new boss, Mike McCarthy, directing the proceedings this season.
Aaron Rodgers recently joined the team the other day, spending the offseason hemming and hawing about a return with his secret Mormon wife. The 42-year-old, last season, played through a broken left wrist; he and the Steelers barreled around, trapped inside a crashing car tumbling to the playoffs before the Houston Texans ripped Rodgers to shreds in the first round.
Drew Allar, Pittsburgh’s 3rd round pick, a potential franchise QB in plain sight. In 2023, Allar led the Big Ten in touchdown passes. In 2024, led Penn State to the College Playoffs Semifinals.
Returning for his second stint in Pittsburgh, last seen screaming for help in the mandible of the Rams newest All-Pro, Mason Rudolph is moving back home with the rents until he gets back on his feet. It’s hard out here. I get it. No one’s reading this. I’m gonna be selling sketchy crypto coins to the elderly soon. It’s hell outside.
Steelers GM Omar Khan said, “Keeping four quarterbacks is an option but he didn’t sound like that would be part of the plan”
I get the feeling Aaron Rodgers is making the roster.
He and his old coach Mike McCarthy, in the midst of their “One Last Job” story arc—aging veterans TJ Watt and Cam Heyward frequent visits to the trainer’s table—”win-now” written above every door frame.
Teams don’t waste 3rd-round picks on rookie QBs, especially when their starter is 42. Drew Allar’s played high stakes games. Within Allar lies a resting Roethlisberger—or at least that’s the premise.
So that leaves 31-year-old Mason Rudolph, or second-year QB out of Ohio State, Will Howard, competing for the last roster spot.
Who should be the Steelers backup QB?
Cut em both, yo.
Mason Rudolph has Young Republicans Group Chat face. Pittsburgh can save $3 million waiting for the preseason to play out, sending him out to a team in need of QB help barring injuries. If Pittsburgh keeps Mason and his cleats touch an NFL field, their season’s already over. Might as well give those reps to Drew Allar.
Also why they should cut Will Howard.
Assuming Aaron Rodgers retires, keeping Will Howard just sets up the same exact QB battle next offseason between the two young guys. Most Super Bowl-winning organizations like to have a pretty firm idea who their starting quarterbacks are prior to Week 1.
Will Howard takes practice reps away from Allar. In New York, I’ve watched the Jets try time and again to keep multiple young QBs on the roster to “develop”—only for them all to be varying degress of ass—there just aren’t enough practice reps to go around, y’all kept getting CTE and slaying loved ones.
Send Will Howard to Sean McVay or Zombie Kyle Shanahan.
Regardless, Mike Tomlin has his toes in the sand, my guy’s not even thinking about all the “I told you so’s” that’ll flood his brain watching this talentless roster Omar Khan’s formed.
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