The Pittsburgh Steelers may have found a much bigger piece of their long-term quarterback puzzle than anyone expected when they selected Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
After an impressive preseason debut, former NFL quarterback Luke McCown believes the Steelers could have landed a player with legitimate starting potential — and perhaps even a future franchise quarterback.
Allar made an immediate impression during Pittsburgh’s 28-9 preseason victory over the Green Bay Packers. The former Penn State quarterback completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns while also adding a rushing touchdown. He finished the night with a remarkable 154.8 passer rating.
That performance was enough to catch McCown’s attention.
“Motion is cleaner, same arm talent, more accuracy!” McCown wrote on social media. “Thought Will Howard did well, but this guy can be different. High round 1 talent in the 3rd round—they may have their guy.”
The comment is particularly notable because Allar entered the NFL with plenty of questions despite possessing the physical tools teams typically covet. Pittsburgh was able to select him with the 76th overall pick, giving the Steelers an opportunity to develop a quarterback who once carried much higher expectations.
Allar’s performance against Green Bay showed why his upside remains so intriguing.
The 6-foot-5 quarterback displayed plenty of arm strength, accuracy and poise. Rather than forcing throws, he consistently took what the defense gave him and delivered the football on time. He was also perfect on his two third-down passing attempts, demonstrating the type of composure that can be difficult for young quarterbacks to show in their first preseason action.
His performance also appeared to earn the confidence of his teammates. Rookie running back Eli Heidenreich praised Allar’s command in the huddle and said he felt comfortable playing alongside the young quarterback.
Of course, one preseason game cannot establish that Allar is Pittsburgh’s quarterback of the future. The Steelers still need to see how he performs against more complicated defenses, how quickly he can improve his footwork and throwing mechanics, and whether he can maintain his accuracy when the pressure increases.
Those developmental issues are exactly why Allar was available in the third round.
Still, his physical ceiling makes the investment potentially significant. Bleacher Report’s draft evaluation noted that Allar possesses more upside than the other quarterbacks currently on Pittsburgh’s roster, making him an intriguing developmental project.
The Steelers also have an ideal situation for developing him. With veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the building, Allar can learn without immediately carrying the burden of being the face of the franchise. That could allow Pittsburgh’s coaching staff to work patiently on his mechanics and decision-making.
If Allar continues producing throughout the preseason, the conversation surrounding Pittsburgh’s quarterback plans could change quickly.
The Steelers entered the year with questions about what comes after Rodgers. After one game, they may have at least given themselves a potential answer.
McCown’s “they may have their guy” comment is certainly premature, but Allar’s first showing provided plenty of reason for Steelers fans to be excited.
The real test now is consistency. If Allar can follow his spectacular debut with two more strong performances, Pittsburgh may have to reconsider whether it needs to spend an early draft pick on another quarterback next year — because the player they already have could turn out to be exactly what they were searching for.
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