The Pittsburgh Steelers will soon report to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe to begin their 2026 training camp. Head coach Mike McCarthy will usher in a new era of Steelers football as he leads the team onto Chuck Noll Field for his first training camp at the helm. Several position battles are expected to unfold throughout camp, with some competitions likely lasting into late August. One local radio host and Steelers writer already believes he knows which battle will draw the most attention from the Steelers faithful.
Joe Starkey of 93.7 The Fan and Tribune Live recently discussed what he believes will be the hottest competition of training camp: the backup quarterback position.
“In most NFL cities, the backup quarterback situation is an afterthought. Not here. Not this year. Not when the starter will turn 43 this season, which automatically makes him vulnerable. Not when one of the backups has practically become a folk hero before his first live NFL snap and the other is a former folk hero maybe making his last stand in Pittsburgh.” Starkey said.
Steelers' Mason Rudolph and Will Howard will battle for QB2
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Incumbent QB2 Mason Rudolph, the "former folk hero" from 2023, enters training camp with his job on the line. His primary challenger is Will Howard, a quarterback McCarthy has openly praised. McCarthy has highlighted Howard's upside and championship pedigree on numerous occasions, and the rookie has generated plenty of excitement among the Steelers fan base. Even so, Rudolph should enter camp as the favorite to win the backup job.
That isn't because Rudolph is clearly superior to Howard, that remains to be seen. Rather, Rudolph holds the edge in experience after operating in multiple offensive systems throughout his career. In fact, McCarthy's offense could prove to be the best fit Rudolph has played in to this point.
Howard, however, will have every opportunity to earn the job. He also brings something that naturally excites fans: no expectations. If Howard struggles, he was only a sixth-round pick. If he wins the job, McCarthy could have another quarterback development success story to add to his resume.
Is the backup quarterback position really the biggest battle to watch?
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Quarterback competitions will always command the attention of a fan base. After all, no position has a greater impact on winning and losing. But is this truly the biggest battle of training camp? Probably not.
The Steelers also have competitions brewing at offensive guard and tackle, while inside linebacker and running back remain unsettled. Perhaps most importantly for McCarthy's offense, the battle for the WR3 role could have a significant impact on the passing game.
Still, the Rudolph-Howard competition will be scrutinized every day. Every Howard throw and every Rudolph rep will be analyzed and compared. In the eyes of many fans, it will likely be the most entertaining battle to watch unfold throughout camp.
One rhetorical question remains: What if third-round pick Drew Allar outperforms both of them during training camp and the preseason?
