Mason Rudolph Wins Early Lead in Steelers’ QB2 Competition on Initial Depth Chart
Aaron Rodgers is back for a 22nd NFL season, and the Pittsburgh Steelers just showed their hand on who’s standing behind him. The team’s initial depth chart, released this week, lists Mason Rudolph as the No. 2 quarterback ahead of Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar — a notable shift from where things stood just months ago.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter Chris Adamski shared the chart on X on August 5, 2026, joking about the early timing. “Wow, two weeks earlier than usual, we have an official Steelers depth chart,” Adamski posted —
Wow 2 weeks earlier than usual we have an official Steelers depth chart pic.twitter.com/4PHZ5rN8em
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) August 5, 2026
Rudolph Climbs Back Ahead of Howard
The move puts Rudolph back in the role he’s occupied for most of his Steelers tenure, but it wasn’t a given entering camp. Earlier this offseason, Howard was actually working with the second-team offense during organized team activities, with Rudolph running third-string reps. That changed once training camp opened at Saint Vincent College.
Head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed the shift directly, laying out the rotation in blunt terms. “Aaron will take the ‘ones;’ Mason will start out with the second group; and Will and Drew will take the third-group reps,” McCarthy said, according to ClutchPoints.
It’s the kind of early-camp jockeying that shapes how backup reps get distributed for the rest of the summer, and it puts real pressure on Howard and Allar to make something happen once preseason games start.
How the Depth Chart Reads at Quarterback
| Rank | Player | Status |
|---|---|---|
| QB1 | Aaron Rodgers | Starter, 22nd NFL season |
| QB2 | Mason Rudolph | Camp lead, entering 8th season with Steelers |
| QB3 | Will Howard | 2025 sixth-round pick, missed last season with a broken hand |
| QB4 | Drew Allar | 2026 draft pick |
Rodgers Signed On for What He Says Is His Last Ride
None of this happens without Rodgers actually deciding to play. Pittsburgh spent much of the offseason waiting on the 42-year-old to make up his mind, and he eventually signed a one-year deal worth up to $25 million, including $22 million guaranteed, to return for a second season under McCarthy — the coach who helped mold him into a superstar back in Green Bay.
Rodgers has been unambiguous about this being the finish line. “Yeah, this is it,” he said as he reported to training camp, according to SteelersNow.com, via NFL.com. “I thought last year might be it, but then Mike (McCarthy) got hired and I talked to my wife and she said, ‘You can do one more year.'”
That reunion with McCarthy has roots that go back further than most fans realize. According to The Athletic’s Michael Silver, it was actually a “throwaway” suggestion from Rodgers to Packers GM Omar Khan that helped set McCarthy’s Steelers arrival in motion, per ClutchPoints.
Why Rudolph, and Why It Might Not Last
Rudolph’s case for QB2 is straightforward: he knows the building, he knows the offense, and he’s been Pittsburgh’s break-glass option before. He’s a third-round pick from 2018 who has bounced between Pittsburgh and a one-year stop in Tennessee, and he’s started 19 regular-season games in his career.
Last season, in his return engagement with the Steelers, Rudolph appeared in five games and completed 38 of 52 passes for 310 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, filling in when Rodgers was sidelined by a wrist injury.
Still, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor has flagged the backup competition as one of the more important storylines of camp — not because there’s any drama at QB1, but because it forces the coaching staff to answer a real question about the future. As ClutchPoints reported, the front office is weighing veteran stability against developing Howard, who Pittsburgh drafted in the sixth round in 2025 and is trying to get back up to speed after missing all of last season.
General manager Omar Khan hasn’t ruled out carrying four quarterbacks into the regular season if the roster math works out. “Is it realistic? Is it doable? I mean, sure it is,” Khan said, according to ClutchPoints. “We’ll see … where we are in three weeks.”
What to Watch Next
The depth chart isn’t final. McCarthy has been explicit that reps will keep shifting through the preseason, and both Howard and Allar will get real opportunities to push Rudolph before Pittsburgh sets its 53-man roster. For now, though, the pecking order behind Rodgers is set — and it’s Rudolph’s job to lose.
