Big Ben's Vote of Confidence: Why a Steelers Legend Sees Drew Allar as the Future Over Will Howard

You know what I love about this game? It's a game of opinions, and when somebody like Ben Roethlisberger weighs in on quarterback evaluation, people listen. They should listen. Big Ben didn't just fall into becoming one of the better quarterbacks in Pittsburgh history. He earned it through hard work, through mistakes, through learning what it takes to play the position at the highest level in one of the most demanding cities in professional football. So when Ben looks at two young signal callers competing for the same job and says one of them reminds him more of what a Steelers quarterback needs to be, that's not just talk. That's a man who understands the assignment.

Drew Allar came into the league with a certain pedigree that gets people's attention. First round talent sitting right there in the third round of the 2026 draft is the kind of value that makes scouts and front offices sit up and take notice. But here's the thing about evaluating quarterbacks that a lot of people miss. It's not just about the arm talent, though Lord knows that matters. It's about how you see the game, how you respond when things go wrong, and whether you've got that quarterback's mind that lets you process information fast enough to keep up with the speed of the game at this level. Will Howard is a fine football player, no doubt about it. The guy's got skills, he's worked hard to get to this point, and he's going to have a chance to prove himself in the pros. But sometimes one guy just fits better in a system, fits better with the people around him, and fits better with what a veteran who's been through the wars thinks this team needs.

When Big Ben expressed his preference for Allar, he wasn't doing it to be controversial or to stir things up. That's just not how Ben operates. He's thoughtful about these things. He watches film like a lot of people don't watch film anymore. He understands what it means to step into Heinz Field, now Acrisure Stadium, and know that the fans, the coaches, and the organization expect excellence from the quarterback position. Pittsburgh has a legacy at that spot that goes back through Big Ben himself, back through Terry Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain days, and the people who play there understand they're part of something bigger than themselves. That's not pressure in the negative sense. That's inspiration. That's opportunity.

The thing about evaluating young quarterbacks is that you're really betting on what someone's going to become, not necessarily what they've already shown you. Every quarterback in the NFL has made throws that made people say, "Wow, that guy can really play." The difference is consistency, accuracy under pressure, and that ability to elevate the people around you when they need elevating. These are things you pick up over time, and they're things that a guy like Ben recognizes because he's been doing it for years. When he looks at Allar, I'd imagine he sees something in how that kid processes information, how he moves in the pocket, how he delivers the football in tight windows that reminds him of successful quarterback play. That matters more than we sometimes give it credit for.

Will Howard played at Ohio State, one of the premier quarterback development programs in college football. That carries weight. Ohio State has produced some excellent professional players over the years. But there's something about a fit between a player and a system, between a player and a coaching staff, and between a player and the legacy of a position that sometimes gets overlooked in these conversations. The Steelers have always been a team that values specific things in their quarterbacks. They want guys who can make decisions under pressure, who understand that the game is as much about managing situations as it is about making spectacular plays, and who respect the historical significance of wearing that black and gold. These aren't things you can always measure at the combine or in game film. These are things that people who've been in these systems recognize in people.

Big Ben's endorsement of Allar, whether he meant it as an endorsement or not, sends a signal about what kind of quarterback the organization should be developing. Now, this doesn't mean Will Howard isn't going to have a chance to compete and potentially win the job. Competition is what makes football great, and whoever wins this battle will be a better player for having gone through it. That's how it should work. But when a legendary quarterback who has played at the highest level says one guy fits better with what this team needs, that's information worth considering. That's the kind of perspective you can only get from someone who's lived it, who's thrown the football in the biggest moments, who's experienced the weight of playing quarterback in Pittsburgh.

The beauty of football is that sometimes the less obvious choice turns out to be the right choice. Drew Allar might not have been the first overall pick. He might not have been the biggest name coming out of college. But there's something about him that Big Ben recognizes as valuable, as special, as what this team needs going forward. Maybe it's the way he stays calm in the pocket. Maybe it's his accuracy on the deep ball. Maybe it's something intangible, something you can't quite measure with all the analytics in the world, but you know it when you see it. That's quarterback evaluation at its finest, and that's what Big Ben is doing here.

The Steelers organization has to take this information seriously, not because Ben is telling them what to do, but because he's offering perspective that comes from actually playing the position at an elite level. You don't have to agree with every evaluation a legendary player makes, but you'd be foolish to dismiss it out of hand. The guy won playoff games, division titles, and Super Bowls. He understands what it takes. He understands the mental and physical demands of the position. He understands what separates pretty good quarterbacks from really good quarterbacks. When he looks at Allar and Howard and says one is more suited to what the Steelers need, that's worth listening to.

This competition between Allar and Howard is going to be fascinating to watch play out. Both guys will get opportunities. Both guys will make throws that look great and throws that make you scratch your head. That's quarterback play at this level. One of them will win the job, and whoever that is will have the chance to be part of the next chapter of Steelers football. Big Ben's preference for Allar might be influential in how the coaching staff evaluates these two, or it might not be. But it's out there now, and it matters. It matters because Ben Roethlisberger is one of the best quarterbacks to ever wear a Steelers uniform, and his football IQ is something that deserves respect.

For fans watching this situation unfold, this is exactly what makes football exciting. You've got two talented young players competing for a job in one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. You've got a legendary player weighing in with his perspective and his experience. You've got a coaching staff that has to make decisions based on all the information in front of them, including the wisdom of people who've been there before. Somewhere in that mix, the right quarterback for Pittsburgh's future is going to emerge. Big Ben thinks he knows who that is, and frankly, his track record suggests he might be onto something. That's what makes this situation worth paying attention to, and that's why we're all going to be watching very closely to see how this develops.