It appears to be a foregone conclusion the Pittsburgh Steelers will keep four quarterbacks to open the 2026 regular season. It’s an idea the team floated as a possibility early in the offseason. General manager Omar Khan confirmed it could happen when training camp began, and head coach Mike McCarthy strongly insinuated after the preseason finale all four had roster spots.
But all throughout that time, former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch has voiced his concerns about keeping four quarterbacks. Batch again argued against the idea Friday on his podcast, “The Snap Count.”
“Zero percent that he’s keeping four quarterbacks, and I’m gonna stand firm on that because you cannot develop the third and fourth-team quarterback during the regular season,” Batch told his co-host. “Yes, it sounds good, and if for whatever reason McCarthy does decide to keep four, that means you’re now essentially having two guys, maybe three, that you’re not getting into a game, that’s gonna take up your active spots that you have available on game day.
“So it’s just very tough to deal with, and I just don’t think that these two young quarterbacks will sneak through the waiver wires.”
The Steelers have until 6 pm ET on Sunday, August 30 to make their roster decisions. They had four quarterbacks on the roster throughout training camp — Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar.
Rodgers and Allar are roster locks. The lingering question is whether the Steelers would keep Rudolph or Howard or both.
Should Steelers Not Keep Four Quarterbacks?
There’s a cliché in the NFL — if a team has two starting quarterbacks, a team has none. Batch appears to be applying the saying to the developmental QB3 job.
Batch’s point is well warranted, and it carries extra weight due to the fact he spent 11 seasons with the Steelers as a backup quarterback. In some of those campaigns, he didn’t play at all because he was the team’s QB3.
The former backup doubts the Steelers will have the practice repetitions to develop both Allar and Howard during the regular season. So, according to Batch, keeping both will stunt the growth of the other.
McCarthy hasn’t addressed Batch’s comments specifically. But Tuesday, the head coach pushed back on the idea having four quarterbacks is a developmental issue.
“I don’t think it hinders at all. We talked extensively about the importance of the whole quarterback room,” McCarthy said to reporters. “If you have four quarterbacks in that room, especially the quality that we have currently, I think it only enhances what the regular season would look like.
“I think maybe you’re referring to reps at practice, but yes, I mean, we’re not on a time restraint once the season starts. Thank God. So, we can be able to do more before practice or after practice, so our quarterback school component can kick up some.
“I’d have six quarterbacks in the building if it worked.”
Charlie Batch Delivers Warning to Steelers on Keeping 4 QBs