The Pittsburgh Steelers had clear goals in mind to achieve with rookie quarterback Drew Allar during his first summer as a professional signal-caller. They were only realistic objectives, though, if Allar worked hard and approached his new coaching with an open mind.
Allar has done that and then some according to Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth. While appearing on the Breakfast with Benz Podcast, Arth raved about Allar’s significant development over the past few months.
“I’ve been just so impressed with how quickly [Allar] has improved from a fundamental standpoint,” said Arth to host Tim Benz on Tuesday. “You never would expect someone to be able to adjust so quickly and adapt so easily to what we’re asking of him.
“I think he’s found a really great rhythm in his drop. I think he’s trusting his feet. He’s playing on time, he’s playing in balance, he’s playing with his cleats in the ground, and those were really the biggest areas of focus for us [after] we drafted him.”
Allar entered the 2026 NFL Draft with the tools to be a star at the next level. He stands at 6-foot-5 and has tremendous arm strength. His accuracy, though, suffered in college at times because of below average mechanics.
However, Allar appears to already be better in that area.
The Steelers selected Allar at No. 76 overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was the fourth quarterback off the board. Only Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson and Carson Beck went ahead of him.
Steelers’ Drew Allar Showing Improvement Through Training Camp
This time of year, it’s key to take what coaches say about rookies with a little grain of salt. Having said that, it’s unlikely Arth would have so strongly commended Allar for his improvement if he wasn’t making progress.
Team insiders watching Allar this month have offered opinions that he’s still raw and/or inconsistent. But those insiders have also seen the improvement from the third-round quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Christopher Carter called Allar’s practice last Saturday night his best of training camp.
As a third-round pick, Allar will make the team’s 53-man roster. Whether the Steelers put him in position to be a key backup this fall, though, will depend on how he continues to progress and improve.
Allar Set to Make Preseason Debut
The next big step for Allar is to show what he’s learned this summer in a preseason game. The Steelers will welcome the Green Bay Packers to Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night.
Entering the contest, the Steelers have Allar listed as the team’s fourth quarterback. With that in mind, it’s unclear how much he could play.
On Tuesday, head coach Mike McCarthy detailed he would deploy players in three groups. But McCarthy had not yet announced whether starting signal-caller Aaron Rodgers would play.
Presumably, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard will get snaps behind center. One would assume getting Allar as many opportunities as possible this preseason is a goal for the Steelers. But that’s not entirely clear.
The Steelers might not carry four quarterbacks. With Allar guaranteed to make the roster, it’s possible the team allows Rudolph and Howard more preseason opportunities.
If the team cuts a signal-caller by August 30, it will be either Rudolph or Howard.
Kickoff between the Steelers and Packers will occur at 7 pm ET. The Steelers will also play two more preseason games before trimming their roster to 53 players.
Steelers Assistant Doesn’t Hold Back on Rookie QB Drew Allar