The Pittsburgh Steelers have four quarterbacks in their current squad. As things stand, Aaron Rodgers is all set to lead the offense in the 2026 season. On the other hand, Will Howard, Mason Rudolph, and Drew Allar are battling for the backup QB position. While it is unclear who will secure the number two role, franchise icon Ben Roethlisberger shared his opinion on the matter.

“You want to have two young guys because one of those could be your potential quarterback of the next 5-10 years,” said Roethlisberger on the Footbahlin Podcast. “Potentially, I’m not saying either one is or isn’t a franchise guy. But could be. I think the smart thing is to keep those two guys because I think Aaron [Rodgers] says he’s done after this year…

“I think that’s the smartest move because if you dealt one of them and kept Mason [Rudolph] and Player A, whoever it may be, you’re putting a lot of eggs in that one basket. Now, if you have two young guys, they’re only a year apart, very similar in styles, now you’re like, ‘We can put half our eggs in this basket, half in this basket, see how they do, let them compete.'”

Mason Rudolph is comparatively more experienced than rookies Will Howard and Drew Allar. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Rudolph in 2018. However, after a year with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, the 31-year-old signal-caller is back with the team. Although Rudolph is yet to put up standout numbers for the Steelers, he carries experience. And that is what Ben Roethlisberger is banking on Pittsburgh to make a move on.

Meanwhile, Howard (drafted as a sixth-round pick in 2025) and Allar (drafted as a third-round pick in 2026) have yet to play a single snap in the NFL. So, consider a hypothetical situation where 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers is forced to miss games in the upcoming season. Will Howard and Allar be the perfect fit to lead the Steelers’ offense? Or would Rudolph, with 4,925 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in 34 regular-season games, be a sound decision?

At least, Roethlisberger has advocated for Rudolph as the Steelers’ backup QB after Rodgers. However, it isn’t simple for Pittsburgh to make such a call. Their franchise quarterback is retiring at the end of the 2026 season. As a result, the Steelers would want to keep their young guns, Howard and Allar, in their long-term plans.

However, it is very unlikely that a franchise moves into the season with a four-man quarterback room. So, heading into the training camp from July 28, HC Mike McCarthy would want to sort out their backup QB situation before announcing their final 53-man roster on August 30.

Steelers insider believes Mason Rudolph will “make the squad”

There has been a lot of noise around Mason Rudolph this offseason, with many speaking against him representing the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly believes otherwise.

“I’m gonna call Mason a stone-cold lock to make the team,” said Kaboly on Steelers Collective on YouTube. “He might not get many reps in camp, and it will be like, ‘Mason’s in trouble, his job’s gonna be in jeopardy.’ I’m playing around a little bit, but I still think he’s gonna make the squad. Regardless of what happens, I believe he’s locked in.”

While Kaboly didn’t explicitly state his reasons, it could be based on the experience Rudolph brings again. The Steelers have one of the most expensive rosters for the 2026 season, ranking 3rd in total cash spending across the entire league at $376.6 million. So, banking on Will Howard and Drew Allar in a seemingly “win-now” season would be quite questionable.

But as things stand, nothing has been made official yet.