While much of the national attention surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers has focused on veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, an intriguing battle is unfolding behind him on the depth chart.
Veteran Mason Rudolph and second-year quarterback Will Howard are seemingly in a battle for the backup quarterback job. And while many have penciled in Howard to win the job, one Steelers insider believes the job is still firmly in the grasp of Rudolph.
According to Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, Mason Rudolph remains
the clear favorite to secure the No. 2 quarterback role heading into the 2026 season.
“I’m gonna give it a good 80% chance of Rudolph being the backup come September 13th,” Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan.
Rudolph is competing with rookie Will Howard and fellow young quarterback Drew Allar for positioning on the depth chart. However, Allar appears to be a long shot at this stage, leaving most of the competition centered on Rudolph and Howard.
Kaboly acknowledged Howard’s potential but believes the rookie may simply be behind in his development timeline compared to where he could have been with an additional year of NFL experience.
“I would feel a lot better if Howard had all of training camp last year, all of preseason last year, and the majority of regular-season practices,” Kaboly said. “I think he’d be in a much better position.”
Howard remains one of the franchise’s more intriguing developmental prospects. The former Ohio State quarterback has impressed with his physical tools, but the organization may prefer to give him additional time before entrusting him with the backup role behind a 42-year-old Rodgers. Still, strong preseason performances from Howard could make the competition more interesting than many expect.
If Howard shows enough promise, the Steelers could eventually face a decision whether to trade Rudolph, or outright cut him.
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