Steelers' Drew Allar is Turning Heads Again

Aug 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Drew Allar (16) warms up against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steelers' Drew Allar is Turning Heads Again

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Noah Strackbein | Last updated Nov 15, 2026 9:08 AM ET

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of several teams keeping a close eye on the 2027 NFL Draft class and its quarterback selection. But that isn't stopping their excitement about a player in-house whom they already drafted.

When Drew Allar showed up in Pittsburgh, he looked pretty bad. It's not a shot at Allar, it's just an observation. His footwork was all over the place; he was reworking his throwing mechanics and he just didn't look comfortable at all, which led to inaccurate passes and strange release points.

He was a clear work in progress and, throughout the summer, showed a little bit of it. Not a ton, but there were definitely moments when you realized Allar was taking steps forward with his accuracy and timing.

By the end of the preseason, he looked much more comfortable as an NFL quarterback than he did when he stepped on the field for rookie minicamp.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After the preseason, the talk of Allar disappeared. No one was checking in, and no one was talking about his chances of starting next year. It was just silence and a waiting game, trying to put all of the options together throughout the college football season.

Then, suddenly, Allar's name popped up again. Steelers media members started talking about him, which sparked conversation amongst fans about his future.

At this moment, I would say that Drew Allar has an 87.9% chance of being the Steelers' starting quarterback in Week 1 of 2027.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) November 13, 2026

Why?

Because Allar started looking a lot better.

Over the last several days, the most notable player when watching practice has been the rookie quarterback. He's moving well in drills, throwing with a much, much more comfortable motion, and his footwork looks much more sound than it ever did during the summer or preseason.

It was like all of a sudden everyone noticed how far Allar has progressed since the regular season started. And it was a reminder that the work continues for players who don't play on Sundays, even after Week 1 kicks off.

It's hard not to agree with Kaboly, either. At least going into training camp, you have to imagine that Allar is going to be the first name to get a shot as the starting quarterback.

At first, that belief was only because Mike McCarthy hand-picked him with his first draft in Pittsburgh. But now, it's because McCarthy's work with Allar seems to be paying off, and that's with Allar acting as the fourth-string quarterback.

Imagine how much progression could come with him being the primary guy McCarthy is focusing on.

So, if you've been denying yourself the excitement of Allar, maybe it's time to let yourself be optimistic. He's showing the progression he should be. And right now, it's easy to see him taking over in 2027 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.