Steelers' Mike McCarthy Essentially Tells Mason Rudolph To Get Lost In Pittsburgh's Intriguing 2026 Quarterback Room

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that is going to be focused on a lot by the national media throughout the 2026 offseason. The main reason for this is the coaching change as Mike McCarthy was hired earlier in the offseason; and another reason is the quarterback situation. No one knows who the starter will be in 2026 as Aaron Rodgers is still making a decision on his future, but both Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are under contract for 2026. Pittsburgh could also look to the quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft, but that seems unlikely as of right now.

There is a world where the quarterback room in 2026 looks identical to what it was in 2025. All three players could be back, and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth was retained by McCarthy. 

The domino that needs to fall in order for the quarterback position in Pittsburgh to gain some clarity in 2026 is whether or not Rodgers decides to play again, and if he wants to do that in Pittsburgh. McCarthy joined ESPN Wisconsin's program, Wilde and Tausch, where he was asked about his quarterback situation.

"I'm not naive to the fact that we could be playing with a first-year starter as opposed to a 20 plus year starter." McCarthy said. "That's really how deep each conversation goes when you talk about play design and play entry. Happened this morning in a meeting about a play action play. I said if Aaron is here will run it this way, if it's Will and the young guys we'll run it another way."

This isn't the first time that the quarterback situation has been talked about without Rudolph being mentioned. He has played seven seasons in Pittsburgh, and he has earned some valuable experience as a starter over that time. He was the catalyst behind the team making the postseason in 2023; however, he doesn't seem to be in McCarthy's plans for the future, which should lead to some questions about his status on the roster in Pittsburgh.

McCarthy has not tried to hide his excitement about Howard, and he has already stated that he would welcome Rodgers coming back to the franchise. Rudolph seems to be the odd man out. The coach's comments during his radio appearance hinted at Rodgers obviously being the starter if he were to return, and he doesn't decide to come back, Howard might be in the lead for the job.

This doesn't mean Rudolph won't be on the roster in 2026. Rodgers could serve as the starter while Howard is the backup, and that would make Rudolph the emergency third quarterback. 

The only issue with that is Rudolph stands to make over $4.5 million in 2026, which is a lot to pay a third-string quarterback that probably won't even see the field. This could lead to the organization exploring options to part ways with the veteran, which could come via trade or by releasing him. Pittsburgh can save $3 million against the cap in 2026 by moving on from Rudolph.

Steelers Should Test The Trade Market For Mason Rudolph

Rudolph is in the top half of the league when it comes to a cap hit for a backup quarterback in the 2026 season. It is hard to justify that kind of salary for an emergency quarterback, and his experience should make him have some value on the trade market. There are plenty of quarterback-needy teams in the league that could take a chance by trading for him, and he should bring in a sixth or seventh-round pick in a potential trade.

McCarthy doesn't seem to be focused on Rudolph at all, and the veteran doesn't seem to have much of a chance to start in Pittsburgh even if Rodgers does not return. Moving on from him would be the smart move, especially if it is through a trade.

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