🚨 BREAKING: Top QB Austin Mack “Signs” $150 Million with Steelers? The Truth Behind the Viral Report
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A bombshell report circulating Friday morning claimed that University of Alabama quarterback Austin Mack had signed a staggering $150 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, sending shockwaves through both the college football and NFL landscapes.
There is just one problem: it isn’t true.
The viral claim, which spread rapidly across social media platforms and fan message boards, alleged that Mack—the Crimson Tide’s backup quarterback—had inked a massive deal with Pittsburgh “due to” an unspecified clause or circumstance. The report cited no credible sources and contradicted every established fact about Mack’s current status and the Steelers’ quarterback room.
Here is what is actually happening, and why the rumor gained traction despite being demonstrably false.
The Reality of Austin Mack’s Situation
Austin Mack is a senior quarterback at Alabama, serving as the primary backup to starter Keelon Russell . He has appeared in four games this season, completing 3-of-4 passes for 23 yards and adding a rushing touchdown . He is not an NFL free agent. He has not declared for the draft. He is, by every measure, a college athlete with eligibility remaining.
Mack is, however, expected to make his first career start for the Crimson Tide on Saturday against Vanderbilt, as Russell deals with a lingering ankle injury . That is the actual news surrounding Mack this week—a significant opportunity for a player who lost the starting job to Russell in preseason camp .
The $150 million figure is so wildly disconnected from reality that it raises immediate red flags. Mack has thrown four career passes at Alabama. No NFL team—let alone one with an established quarterback room—would commit nine figures to a player with that resume.
The Steelers’ Actual Quarterback Room
Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation for 2026 is settled, and Austin Mack is not part of it.
Aaron Rodgers is the Steelers’ starting quarterback in what is widely expected to be his final NFL season . Behind him, Mason Rudolph serves as the primary backup, with Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar occupying the third and fourth spots on the depth chart . The Steelers made the unconventional decision to keep all four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster to protect their developmental investments .
There is no vacancy. There is no $150 million allocation. There is no “due to” clause that would facilitate such a transaction.
Pittsburgh’s future quarterback plans beyond 2026 remain uncertain. Insider Gerry Dulac reported earlier this month that the Steelers are “done playing that veteran QB merry-go-round” and will likely turn to either Howard or Allar in 2027 rather than pursue another veteran stopgap . Mack’s name has not appeared in any credible Steelers reporting.
Where the Rumor Likely Originated
The confusion appears to stem from a collision of unrelated storylines.
First, Mack’s name has surfaced in NFL Draft circles. ESPN analyst Jordan Reid listed Mack as a quarterback to watch for the 2027 NFL Draft, noting that he is draft-eligible but must first win playing time and prove himself . A 2027 mock draft from BearsTalk even projected Mack to the Atlanta Falcons—not Pittsburgh .
Second, the Steelers’ quarterback uncertainty beyond Rodgers has generated endless speculation about the 2027 offseason. Analysts have floated names like C.J. Stroud and Arch Manning as potential targets . Austin Mack has never been among them.
Third, the viral format of the claim—”BREAKING: Top QB Signs $150 Million Deal Due To…”—matches the template of engagement-bait content that prioritizes clicks over accuracy. The lack of a named source, a date, or any corroborating detail is characteristic of fabricated sports rumors designed to exploit fan anxiety during a slow news cycle.
What Mack Is Actually Focused On
While the internet spun fiction, Mack spent Friday preparing for the biggest start of his collegiate career.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has expressed confidence in Mack, saying he “definitely should not be thinking of him as a guy who’s just going to be a backup, because that’s not how we think of him” . Mack followed DeBoer from Washington to Alabama, turning down other opportunities to remain in the coach’s system .
The Crimson Tide face Vanderbilt on Saturday with a 14.5-point spread, slightly narrowed from 15.5 after the news of Russell’s injury . For Mack, it is a chance to rewrite his own narrative—not through fabricated contracts, but through performance on the field.
The Bottom Line
There is no $150 million contract. There is no Steelers signing. There is no shocking clause or hidden circumstance.
There is a backup quarterback getting his first start for the No. 3 team in the country. There is a Steelers franchise navigating the final season of a Hall of Fame career. And there is an internet that occasionally confuses the two.
Fans seeking reliable information about Austin Mack should look to Saturday’s box score, not Friday’s viral fiction.
Leave a Reply