With Aaron Rodgers continuing to leave the Pittsburgh Steelers dangling on whether or not he will join their team, Mike McCarthy made up his mind that he would not sit and wait. Instead, he made some moves himself by selecting quarterback Drew Allar from Penn State in the draft. McCarthy isn’t putting all his eggs in the Rodgers basket anymore. He’s planning ahead and making sure the Steelers aren’t stuck if things don’t go their way.

“No. 76 pick is in: #Steelers have selected Penn State QB Drew Allar, per sources.” insider Jordan Schultz posted on X.

The Steelers selected Drew Allar with the 76th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and honestly, it makes a lot of sense. He has the size at 6’5″ and around 235 pounds, a strong arm, and he has been steady throughout his career.

Even though his final year ended early due to a knee injury, he concluded his collegiate career with over 7,400 yards and 61 touchdowns while keeping interceptions low.

Allar also sounds genuinely excited about what comes next as he takes his first step towards his NFL journey.

“It was just a lot of anticipation kind of throughout the day and in the last couple of weeks, honestly, but very excited for the opportunity I have to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Allar said, via ESPN. “It’s definitely a dream come true to play for such a great organization and fulfill my dream of having the opportunity to play in the NFL.”

By using their highest third-round pick on him, the Steelers are making it clear they believe in Drew Allar and Mike McCarthy’s ability to develop a young quarterback. It also shows they are serious about building something for the future at the position.

None of this really comes as a surprise, either, especially with Aaron Rodgers still not giving the team a clear answer before the draft. Because of that uncertainty, the Steelers were heading in with just Will Howard and Mason Rudolph on the roster, which is not exactly a long-term plan.

McCarthy has been pretty open about how he sees the situation, too.

“I think [quarterback] is a position… we speak on it as being the most important position in football. We want to add to it,” McCarthy told the media on Monday.

While Mike McCarthy moves forward and builds options, Art Rooney II seems increasingly disappointed and uncertain as the situation with Aaron Rodgers drags on.

Steelers owner’s update on Aaron Rodgers situation

Aaron Rodgers is taking his time again when it comes to deciding his future, and it feels a lot like last year all over again. Back then, he didn’t confirm he was joining the Pittsburgh Steelers until June 5, after weeks of rumors following his exit from the New York Jets.

Team owner Art Rooney II had hoped things would move faster this time. There were even signs that Rodgers might wrap things up sooner. But now, with the draft already happening in Pittsburgh, there is still no clear answer.

Because of that, Rooney’s stance has changed a bit. It sounds less confident now and more like he is just waiting to see how it all plays out. He also shared that Rodgers has given the team a rough timeline, hinting it will likely come around the start of OTA.

“I wish I could tell you we’re at the end of the discussion, but we’re still talking to Aaron, and he’s still deciding what he wants to do,” Rooney said, via Steelers Now. “I think we’re close. He’s kind of told us his time frame and what he’s going to be up to over the next couple of weeks. So I think we’ll have an answer soon, let’s put it that way.”

This just shows the uncertainty is still there, especially with OTAs starting May 18, which puts real pressure on getting a decision made before mandatory minicamp in early June.

Even though the waiting has been frustrating, there is still a strong belief that Rodgers will be back for another season. At the same time, drafting Drew Allar gives the Steelers something positive to hold onto as they look ahead to the upcoming season.