Steelers use 7 of 10 draft picks on offense as they wait for Rodgers to decide on return

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t know if quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return for his 22nd season in 2026. If the 42-year-old decides to play, the four-time MVP will lead a team filled with fresh faces on offense. Pittsburgh used seven of its 10 picks in the NFL draft on that side of the ball, starting with offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round and ending it with Navy wide receiver/running back (and Pittsburgh native) Eli Heidenreich in the seventh. “That’s how the draft sorted itself out,” general manager Omar Khan said. “We trusted our board and trusted our process.” It’s the first time since 1976 that the Steelers drafted six offensive players among their first seven picks. In addition to Iheanachor and Heidenreich, Pittsburgh chose Iowa guard Gennings Dunker, Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. “It was very refreshing to see need hit value,” first-year Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said.

Trying again to find a young QB who'll stick

The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Allar was once projected as a first-round pick, but has things he needs to clean up as he transitions to the NFL. Allar helped Penn State to a College Football Playoff berth in 2024, but the Nittany Lions struggled against higher-caliber competition during his career, going 0-6 against Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon and Notre Dame. Allar enters a quarterback room that already includes Ohio State’s Will Howard, taken in the sixth round last year. Howard suffered a hand injury in training camp and spent the first two months of the season on injured reserve. The addition of Allar represents Pittsburgh's latest attempt to find a young quarterback it hopes can become a franchise cornerstone, something it has lacked since Ben Roethlisberger's retirement in 2022. Pittsburgh swung and missed on Kenny Pickett four years ago, while Howard remains a work in progress. McCarthy said the addition of Allar won’t have any impact on the team’s willingness to bring back Rodgers, who guided the Steelers to the AFC North title in his first year with Pittsburgh. “It’s about training the room together,” McCarthy said. “It’s great to have two really young guys that I’m extremely excited about.”