The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed third-round pick Drew Allar to his four-year rookie contract, the team announced Friday. Selected 76th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, Allar’s rookie deal is expected to be worth a total of $7.142 million. The former Penn State quarterback will receive approximately a $1.654 million signing bonus. Allar’s first-year cap charge will be just under $1.3 million.
Allar is now eligible to participate fully in training camp once practices begin Wednesday.
Allar is the 10th and final Steelers draft pick to sign his rookie deal. Pittsburgh signed most of its class before OTAs and inked WR Germie Bernard and RB/WR Eli Heidenreich to their rookie deals after the first day of voluntary minicamp.
Under the current CBA, rookie deals are largely slotted and predetermined. That leaves little room for haggling between team and agent, even for a quarterback. Still, Allar was among the final rookies across the league to sign his deal, and until now, was one of three who had yet to sign.
Quarterback Carson Beck signed his contract with the Arizona Cardinals on July 22, the day the team reported to training camp. Number one overall pick Fernando Mendoza also signed his rookie deal yesterday. Allar followed suit 24 hours later.
Los Angeles Rams QB Ty Simpson and New England Patriots EDGE Gabe Jacas are the last two rookies who have yet to sign their contract.
Drafted to be coached up by Mike McCarthy and his quarterback background, Allar checks the boxes of what Pittsburgh desires. He’s a big and strong-armed passer with experience playing in the elements. Born in Ohio and attending Penn State, Allar isn’t foreign to dealing with the cold and wind.
Once thought to be a potential first-round pick, Allar’s stock fell in 2025. Continued streaky play and a broken ankle dropped Allar to the mid-rounds of the draft. Healthy now, Allar brings upside if McCarthy and the Steelers can clean up his mechanics and even out his performances. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the team compared Allar to a Joe Flacco-type, pocket passers with tremendous arm strength.
At Penn State, Allar threw for over 7,400 yards with 61 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. He’s the first Nittany Lion quarterback Pittsburgh’s drafted, and the first quarterback McCarthy’s selected in the third round.
During OTAs, he served as the team’s No. 4 quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers, Will Howard, and Mason Rudolph.
Allar is most likely to begin his rookie season as the team’s No. 3 and emergency quarterback. Still, he’ll be given a long runway to showcase his talent during training camp and in the preseason, and the team figures to give him the chance to compete with Howard and Rudolph.