Steelers QB Drew Allar Has Rare Opportunity

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsbugh Steelers have four quarterbacks heading into training camp this summer, but only two feel like guarantees to make the 53-man roster. Those two are Aaron Rodgers and Drew Allar.

The rookie out of Penn State is fighting for the backup job this season, but isn't going to be cut because of the long-term outlook on him. Really, the only battle at the quarterback position this summer is between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard for the QB2 job. For Allar, it's about learning and growing - and taking advantage of a "rare opportunity" in front of him.

Allar is being urged by Steelers legend and Super Bowl champion, Jerome Bettis, to seize the opportunity he has as a rookie. The third-round pick is walking into a year where he'll learn from one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, and Bettis says he must take full advantage.

"Hopefully he can pick up a whole lot. When you have a Hall of Fame player at your position in the building, you should soak up everything you can,” Bettis told Action Network. "Hopefully that happens, and Drew sees it, understands it, and utilizes it. Because that’s a rare opportunity to have a player of that stature and ability in the building, so hopefully that helps springboard him to a great career as well."

Bettis Isn't Wrong

The Steelers legend is spot on. Allar is walking into a very unique situation that could work in his favor, and really, Pittsburgh's favor as well.

The third-round pick has no expectations. The Steelers are hoping for the best but aren't tying themselves to him as the definitive long-term starter after Rodgers. This season, they just want to see how much he can grow, and he'll do so while sitting behind Rodgers and working with head coach Mike McCarthy.

On top of that, Allar has all of the physical tools you'd want in an NFL QB. A once thought to be first-round pick, Allar fell to the third round because of an injury that he suffered last season, not because he can't throw the football like a first-rounder.

"You look at him, he’s a dynamic football player. He’s made some bad decisions in his day, and I think that’s what you gotta clean up. But you look at the physical traits and ability, it’s there," Bettis continued. "You look at him at the end of his junior year, there was talk about him being a top 10-15 pick. He decided to come back, and it didn’t work out the way he wanted to, and got injured, and his stock fell, but it doesn’t change that his ability is still there. His capabilities are there. I think he’s a really good quarterback that just needs to learn the NFL game, and you can’t ask for a better teacher than Aaron Rodgers."

If Allar can really learn and grow behind Rodgers this season, he may take a big enough step to fight for a starting job next year. And with his skillset, who knows what happens after that.

Maybe the Steelers could find their franchise passer in Allar, but only if his rare opportunity is taken advantage of.

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