With a lot of speculation around the return of Pittsburgh Steelers’ star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the team has finally considered the rookie alternative.

As reported by Jarrett Bailey of SBNation, the Steelers concluded their two-day rookie minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, which laid the foundation of Drew Allar's budding relationship with the team ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

For the first time, Drew Allar donned the black and gold (yellow) cleats of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the rookie minicamp held on May 9 and May 10, 2026.

The Medina, Ohio native was drafted by the Steelers in the 2026 NFL Draft as the third round (76th overall) pick. As per the present roster of the Steelers, there is uncertainty around the primary starter since Aaron Rodgers has still not made up his mind.

At present, the Steelers have QB1 Aaron Rodgers (expected), QB2Will Howard, QB3 Drew Allar, and QB4 Mason Rudolph. The actual head turner was the presence of Allar as the only QB, per McCarthy.

Amid the absence of Rodgers, this suggests that the Steelers are heavily investing their time and resources in the development of the new quarterback.

As of May 11, the 42-year-old QB has still not officially signed the contract or committed to his return in his 22nd NFL season. Considering the facts in mind, McCarthy revealed that the presence of only one QB was preplanned.

As this allows the coaching staff to have one-on-one training sessions with the 22-year-old QB. During the camp, the coaching staff extensively worked on transforming his footwork and fine-tuning his mechanics per NFL standards.

But it was not just related to his development but also to beginning to build chemistry with his new teammates. The rookie quarterback entered the league with strong physical tools, arm strength, and developmental upside, traits the Steelers' coaching staff now hopes to refine heading into training camp.

2026 Rookie Minicamp Was a Success For Drew Allar

The Pittsburgh Steelers did more than just introduce Drew Allar during rookie minicamp. They immediately started building around him.

With no call surrounding Aaron Rodgers’ return as the primary QB, the rookie quarterback quickly became one of the central figures of Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp.

Allar’s early chemistry with teammates also stood out during camp. Rookie receiver Isaiah Bernard praised the quarterback after working with him during the combine process and minicamp sessions.

“He’s a great quarterback,” Bernard said. “I met him at the combine, and we were able to throw together a little bit, so I kind of already knew what he was bringing. But you see what he does on the field, so just being able to be with him was a great connection.”

The 6ft 5in tall QB was recently compared to the Steelers’ former star QB Joe Flacco, per an NFL insider. Not just him, the  QB was drafted in the first two days of the draft since Ben Roethlisberger. This also signals a serious commitment to his development.

The Steelers are clearly investing time into Allar’s development early, signaling how important the rookie could become to Pittsburgh’s long-term plans beyond 2026.

Read more at QB Fan Central!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi