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The Pittsburgh Steelers still have not established what type of offensive identity they will have in the 2026 NFL season. Coach Mike McCarthy may have made a few cuts in the squad, but they were all minor. There was an expectation that Mason Rudolph may be cut after their training sessions, but that possibility is looking bleak. He may be slated to stay alongside Drew Allar, Aaron Rodgers, and Will Howard.
Why the Steelers and Coach McCarthy want Rudolph to stay in their QB room
To say that the Steelers have quite a quarterback identity conundrum is an understatement. Coach Mike McCarthy will have to orchestrate a possible farewell tour for Aaron Rodgers. He also has to prioritize the growth of both Drew Allar, the Steelers' third-round 2026 NFL Draft pick, and Will Howard, their sixth-round 2025 NFL Draft pick.
It was clear as day that Mason Rudolph would get cut because of how many quarterbacks the Steelers already have. However, Coach McCarthy posits that Rudolph could be staying with the team.
Why is that the case? Coach McCarthy posits that Rudolph has been doing well during the Steelers' training camp, via 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.
The Steelers leaned on Rudolph for five regular season games, one where he started, and a playoff game during their 2025 NFL campaign. In that span, he produced 310 passing yards with a 73.1% completion percentage. More than that, he also registered two passing touchdowns. Obviously, this was still a far cry from his highly productive 1,530 passing yards season with the Tennessee Titans back in 2024.
What Coach McCarthy could be doing is prioritizing Rodgers in terms of playing time because it will be the NFL legend's final season. Whenever their star veteran is fatigued or cannot operate well due to his age, Rudolph will be slated to step in as a backup. This means that Allar and Howard will have to learn more on the sidelines rather than the field.
Typically, NFL coaches and offensive coordinators tend to cut down their quarterback room to three people. This time around, it seems like they will help Rudolph grow more while Allar and Howard develop off the field.
Only time will tell if someone actually gets moved away from the Steelers due to Coach McCarthy's calls. For now, it seems like they will need Rudolph to help whenever Rodgers can no longer carry games like he used to.
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