The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't just add a quarterback on Friday night—they may have triggered a fan mutiny against a future Hall of Famer. After selecting Penn State's Drew Allar with the 76th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, a loud segment of the Steelers faithful is already chanting for Aaron Rodgers to hang up his cleats.
Allar, a 6-foot-5 signal-caller with a rocket arm, completed 66.5% of his passes for 3,327 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2024 before an ankle injury cut his 2025 season short. Despite the setback, Allar remains confident in his recovery.
“I’m going to be a better version of myself out of this,” Allar said. “The doctors said it’s going to be stronger than before because of the type of surgery they did. It won’t prohibit me from anything in the future or need to get it redone. A lot of guys have done it and come back. I’ll be able to make a full recovery and not have anything to think about when I come back.”
The pick immediately sparked a firestorm on social media, with fans making it clear they want the 42-year-old Rodgers to step aside. “Aaron Rodgers get ready to learn retirement buddy,” one fan wrote. Another declared, “Aaron Rodgers just got replaced.” A third said, “Sorry guys I been a Will Howard fan but been an Allar fan since day 1 so I’m backing him to be Aaron Rodgers successor.”
Not everyone is ready to hand the keys to Allar just yet. Some fans see the pick as a long-term play rather than an immediate threat to Rodgers. “Drew Allar to Steelers: Pittsburgh drafts a ‘future’ QB who won’t vie for snaps this year. So Aaron Rodgers has a clear path to being the starter all season. This is what he was waiting for. Watch him announce he’s returning to the NFL next week,” one social media user commented.
Allar now enters a quarterback room that includes Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. If Rodgers does re-sign, the rookie could benefit from learning under a four-time MVP. But for a fan base starved for a long-term answer at the position, Allar represents hope—and a growing impatience with the veteran.
Meanwhile, off the field, Drew Allar's girlfriend stole the show at the 2026 NFL Draft, drawing plenty of attention on social media as the pick was announced.
The Steelers have no established quarterback beyond 2026, and even if Rodgers returns for one more season, he's viewed as a placeholder. Allar gives Pittsburgh a glimmer of a future—and a reason for fans to start dreaming again.
