{
  "id": 6297894,
  "title": "Aaron Rodgers did not expect Steelers to keep four QBs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/aaron-rodgers-did-not-expect-steelers-to-keep-four-qbs",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-08T16:30:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/aaron-rodgers-did-not-expect-163055653.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - On August 21, 2026, Aaron Rodgers expressed surprise at the Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to maintain all four quarterbacks on their roster. The team entered the preseason season with a diverse group, including veteran backup Mason Rudolph, second-year quarterback Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar. While many expected Howard to take over as the No. 2 quarterback, if he performed well during training camp and preseason, Allar would serve as the experimental \"project\" quarterback for head coach Mike McCarthy. Instead, Pittsburgh decided to retain all four quarterbacks, a move that Rodgers did not anticipate. Rodgers discussed his thoughts on the situation during an appearance on Cam Heyward's podcast, Not Just Football. He praised Rudolph's improvement over the offseason and highlighted Howard and Allar's contributions, expressing pride in the development of both players. Rodgers also commended Howard for his performance in the preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers and revealed that he had closed the door on the backup quarterback conversation following Drew's selection.",
  "summary": "Aaron Rodgers was surprised to see every quarterback make the roster.",
  "key_points": [
    "Aaron Rodgers surprised by Pittsburgh's decision to keep four QBs",
    "Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar on roster",
    "Rodgers praised Rudolph's offseason improvement"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Aaron Rodgers praises Karl Ravech for ‘phenomenal’ ESPN tenure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/aaron-rodgers-praises-karl-ravech-for-phenomenal-espn-tenure",
        "published": "2026-09-08T16:30:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}