The Pittsburgh Steelers desperately need their quarterback of the future. They have explored every option, even conducting due diligence on Brendan Sorsby. While selecting Sorsby remains unlikely, one thing is certain: Aaron Rodgers is set to start Week 1 for Pittsburgh. New head coach Mike McCarthy strongly pushed for Rodgers to return for one more season with the Steelers.
Although Pittsburgh's best chance to win lies in a Rodgers-McCarthy reunion, the partnership could provide an even greater long-term benefit: the development of third-round pick Drew Allar.
Allar entered last year's cycle as a potential first-round prospect. However, a disappointing senior season, capped by a season-ending ankle injury, significantly damaged his draft stock. By draft day, his landing spot had become difficult to predict. His raw talent remained undeniable, but he was far from a finished product. If there is an ideal situation for Allar's development, it is spending a season learning under both Rodgers and McCarthy.
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McCarthy's Hand-Picked Quarterback
McCarthy hand-picked Drew Allar in the 2026 NFL Draft. Reports suggest that Allar was his preferred choice even if Carson Beck had still been available. The reasoning is easy to understand. Allar has the prototypical frame, a cannon for an arm, and enormous upside.
At the same time, his lack of refinement creates a relatively low floor. McCarthy has reportedly been re-installing fundamentals and rebuilding parts of Allar's game from the ground up. That's not necessarily what teams want to hear about a young quarterback, but it underscores just how much development remains ahead of him.
Fortunately for the Steelers, McCarthy has built a career on developing quarterbacks. He helped mold Rodgers into a future Hall of Famer, turned Matt Flynn into a highly sought-after signal caller who landed a lucrative contract, and elevated Dak Prescott's game to new heights. Even before becoming a head coach, McCarthy helped develop fourth-round pick Aaron Brooks into a starting-caliber quarterback with the New Orleans Saints. His track record is extensive, and Allar may represent his most ambitious project yet.
Of course, having Rodgers in the building only strengthens that development plan.
Learning From a Future Hall of Famer
If there's one thing Rodgers has consistently shown throughout his career, it's a willingness to help younger quarterbacks. He welcomed Jordan Love in Green Bay and took a similar approach with Zach Wilson in New York and Will Howard in Pittsburgh. There's every reason to believe he'll do the same with Allar.
Rodgers offers a wealth of experience, technical knowledge, and leadership. In some ways, he can relate to Allar's situation. Rodgers entered the NFL as a talented but imperfect prospect whose mechanics required refinement. While he was considerably more polished than Allar coming out of college, McCarthy still challenged him and helped elevate his game. Rodgers can now provide the perspective of someone who has already walked that path.
Allar may not become a future Hall of Famer, but few young quarterbacks could ask for a better developmental environment. With McCarthy's proven track record and Rodgers serving as a willing mentor, Allar has a valuable opportunity to grow.
So while the Rodgers-McCarthy reunion headlines a potential "Last Dance" for Rodgers and a homecoming for McCarthy, it may also quietly mark the beginning of something much bigger: Drew Allar's path to becoming the Steelers' quarterback of the future.
