Mike McCarthy kicked off his era with the Pittsburgh Steelers grabbing a 28-9 win over Green Bay Thursday night. The 19-point victory at Acrisure Stadium got things rolling, but before anyone starts buying championship parade tickets, let’s keep it real: this was just preseason football.
This Ain’t the Real Deal, Folks
Look, I get it. Preseason is fun, and we’re all starved for some gridiron action. It’s an important part of roster building and gives us some early insights into how a team might operate. Mike McCarthy even put some interesting ideas out there. But let’s pump the brakes on any wild takes. Those plays are run by a 90-man roster that hasn’t built much chemistry yet, and coaches are using these games to test players in various scenarios, not to win. The final score? Meaningless. So, yeah, those “Drew Allar is the Steelers’ next franchise quarterback” posts are entertaining, but don’t buy the hype. Or the doom and gloom, for that matter. Preseason isn’t real football, and a lot can change before the games actually count.
The Quarterback Room Just Got Messier, Somehow
Now for the juicy stuff, and maybe a little overreaction: Pittsburgh might have found its next franchise QB in Drew Allar! Or maybe two, or three, because Will Howard and Mason Rudolph looked pretty good out there too, didn’t they? Seriously though, all three Steelers passers played well enough last night that the quarterback hierarchy heading into the regular season is anything but clear. Mason Rudolph, the veteran QB2, was ruthlessly efficient, completing 10 of 11 passes for 93 yards. His best moment might have been his lone incompletion, a Ben Roethlisberger-esque heave that would have been a touchdown if rookie receiver Germie Bernard could have gotten a second foot in-bounds. Beyond that, Rudolph just looked like a “been-there, done-that” kind of guy, which is an attractive trait for a prospective Aaron Rodgers backup. Next up was 2024 sixth-rounder Will Howard, hitting the field for his first game since the 2024-25 College Football Playoff National.
The QB competition in Pittsburgh is definitely something to watch, even if it’s still just August. With three guys putting in solid performances, the real test of who takes the reins is still ahead.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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