1. Hi Guest, Registrations are now open. See you on the inside.
    Dismiss Notice

Who will be the Steelers starting QB in the 2026 season opener?

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by steelersrule6, Jan 23, 2026.

  1. Mason Rudolph

    5 vote(s)
    8.8%
  2. Will Howard

    17 vote(s)
    29.8%
  3. Aaron Rodgers

    17 vote(s)
    29.8%
  4. Malik Willis

    2 vote(s)
    3.5%
  5. Justin Fields (reunion) lol

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. Rookie QB

    1 vote(s)
    1.8%
  7. Other free agent QB

    11 vote(s)
    19.3%
  8. Trade for QB

    4 vote(s)
    7.0%
  1. Hanratty#5

    Hanratty#5 Well-Known Member

    9,961
    4,804
    Apr 20, 2019
    Donny Football is on 93.7 the Fan. He's the one that broke the news about Tomlin stepping down. He's been very critical of the McCarthy hiring and the possibility of Rodgers returning. So he was saying today that his Steeler contact told him to shut up about it and like it because "Rodgers is coming back period."
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  2. Born2Steel

    Born2Steel Well-Known Member

    4,341
    1,539
    Jul 7, 2023
    It is very realistic if you could realize I'm talking about right now today. Today there are only 2 QBs with contracts for next season. A 2-man QB room. That's so that's in there. I've run out of ways to explain it. You're just thick.
     
  3. Born2Steel

    Born2Steel Well-Known Member

    4,341
    1,539
    Jul 7, 2023
    This is the post @Steelvision@Steelvision is arguing with.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  4. Steelpens65

    Steelpens65 Well-Known Member

    13,450
    2,474
    Nov 28, 2021
    He also struggled in 2024
    Last good season was 2023
     
  5. Steelvision

    Steelvision Well-Known Member

    2,123
    478
    Jun 28, 2022
    and your an idiot and no way in hell they go into the season with just MR, Howard and TC fodder.
     
  6. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

    47,213
    11,439
    Oct 16, 2011
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  7. Born2Steel

    Born2Steel Well-Known Member

    4,341
    1,539
    Jul 7, 2023
    And there's the proof
     
  8. Hanratty#5

    Hanratty#5 Well-Known Member

    9,961
    4,804
    Apr 20, 2019
    I wonder if Will Howard will give up #18 for the starter Kirk Cousins.
     
  9. Steelpens65

    Steelpens65 Well-Known Member

    13,450
    2,474
    Nov 28, 2021
    Donny Football originally gave the McCarthy hiring a F
    He upgraded it to a F+
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 1
  10. Steelpens65

    Steelpens65 Well-Known Member

    13,450
    2,474
    Nov 28, 2021
    Come on my guy
    No sense to get personal
    Disagree and move on
    Peace
     
    • Like Like x 3
  11. Born2Steel

    Born2Steel Well-Known Member

    4,341
    1,539
    Jul 7, 2023
    It's all on reading comprehension disability
     
  12. Steelvision

    Steelvision Well-Known Member

    2,123
    478
    Jun 28, 2022
    I understand you perfectly, your premise doesnt make any sense. I already gave a rational response and you resort to name calling and trying to cry to other posters as a reaction. Im done with this back and forth. fire away with more retorts in any form if you like, i dont care.
     
  13. Born2Steel

    Born2Steel Well-Known Member

    4,341
    1,539
    Jul 7, 2023
    :rawk:
     
  14. Steelvision

    Steelvision Well-Known Member

    2,123
    478
    Jun 28, 2022
    McCarthy may just be the guy to find and develop our next franchise Qb, that mightve been the whole purpose, not to be the next long term coach like his predecessors. But to fastrack the rebuild/keep the team competitive, then hand a playoff team off to the next guy. We wont have to wait another 20 years, and rely on FA’s and late draft picks, gotta trust the Rooneys. As a fan of a few decades i should know better
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2026 at 1:02 AM
  15. jeh1856

    jeh1856 We want in so we can bark to go out again

    37,882
    13,206
    Oct 26, 2011
    I understood him

    And I understand that you did not

    And your irrelevant response confirmed this

    So your rude behavior was inappropriate
     
  16. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

    47,213
    11,439
    Oct 16, 2011
    Think Id rather see Rodgers’s back.
     
  17. MojoUW

    MojoUW Well-Known Member

    639
    216
    Aug 16, 2023
    Mike McCarthy has identified a franchise QB zero times in his career.

    Montana
    Favre
    Rodgers
    Prescott

    All were already on the roster before his arrival. Rodgers was drafted a full season before McCarthy came. McCarthy was also some portion of the decision making team that picked Alex Smith over Rodgers.

    We do have evidence that McCarthy helped improve and refine Rodgers mechanics and footwork. It may be that McCarthy was able to coach the "Tedford" out of Rodgers. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft05/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2039797

    But we all need to stop unquestiongly buying the Mike McCarthy QB guru hype. That hype is largely part of his own promotion machine. Mike McCarthy is incredibly effective at promoting Mike McCarthy

    It's possible that McCarthy comes in and pushes Howard or some other young QB to the top of the heap. But, please, stop viewing this as a guaranteed result. The track record is not there.
     
    • Disagree Disagree x 1
  18. Steelersfan43

    Steelersfan43 Well-Known Member

    11,906
    3,357
    Aug 10, 2016
    It's possible McCarthy is very good at developing quarterbacks, but he shouldn't be the one choosing the quarterback!

    He deserves some credit for developing Rodgers, since Rodgers was far from a sure thing in 2006... Brett Favre had an improbable great year in 2007 after a terrible 2005 season and a very average 2006 season.

    Cooper Rush was able to have a winning record in over 10 starts in Dallas under McCarthy... He was a total scrub in Baltimore in 2025... So we can say that McCarthy is able to get the best out of his QBs if they are NFL-caliber QBs and not Brett Hundley-type quarterbacks where he had no business to be in the NFL!
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
  19. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

    17,852
    6,477
    Sep 21, 2017
    Sucks for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  20. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

    47,213
    11,439
    Oct 16, 2011
    Cooper Rush
    Aaron Brooks
    Alex Smith
    Matt Flynn

    Are all QB’s that played well under him and that he got the most out of.

    Dax played his best football under McCarthy but was that just from being in a better desinged offense or tweaking his play, we’ll likley never know.

    Like it or not, he worked with Rodgers for two years before Rodgers took over for Farve. Rodgers credits what he learned under McCarthy as being instrumental in his development.

    All these examples bodes well for Howard. Does it mean he will be the next franchise QB, of course not but I like Howards chances a lot more under McCarthy than I would if Tomlin was still here after watching the Pickett years.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  21. Steelcityboyz

    Steelcityboyz Well-Known Member

    886
    131
    Jul 31, 2023
    It makes no sense to bring A-Rod back. If they do, it's just another wasted year before we find a franchise Qb

    I get Howard is a 6th rounder, but have we even seen him play a down? With good guidence and coaching I think he could be good.

    Then again he could stink, but that's something we'll never know if they don't play him. I like his attitude and competitivness
     
  22. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

    47,213
    11,439
    Oct 16, 2011
    I understand why they would want to do it, recapture the magic of their first SB win together while giving McCarthy a year to work with Howard before he starts.

    I just have very little confidence they can make a run with Rodgers at his age so you basically getting another Tomlin year with 9 or 10 wins and picking around 20 in the draft.

    Just rip the bandaid off and roll with Howard. I believe he has the mental fortitude to handle and rough patches he goes through.
     
  23. Steelvision

    Steelvision Well-Known Member

    2,123
    478
    Jun 28, 2022
    i understood him too, and i said it was unrealistic imo and he got snippy and he was the one who began throwing out names, and i threw one back. So get your understanding straight jeh.
     
  24. Trafalgar

    Trafalgar Well-Known Member

    2,690
    411
    Sep 26, 2016
    It was never going to be anyone else but AR, from the moment Fredo said "We 'aint rebuilding".

    The question is to ask is, are we going to do this again in '27?, because '25 was supposed to be the last ride...
     

Share This Page

Welcome to the ultimate resource for Steelers fans. Sign Up Here!