Impressive preseason performances from Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Drew Allar and second-year quarterback Will Howard have sparked early optimism surrounding the team’s future. This has fans calling for one of the young quarterbacks to start. However, longtime sports analyst Rich Eisen is shutting down any speculation that the young signal-callers will push veteran starter Aaron Rodgers to the bench this season. During an "Overreaction Monday" segment on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Eisen pushed back against the notion that Rodgers should be on a short leash at age 42 if his play declines or if the rookies appear ready. "That's absurd. That's just not going to happen," Eisen said. "He will be, his final season will be sacrificed on the altar of evaluation for the future? That's what you're saying. They're not benching Rodgers."
While dismissing the idea of an in-season benching, Eisen noted that the strong preseason debuts from Allar and Howard validate Pittsburgh’s hiring of head coach Mike McCarthy. Known for his history of developing quarterbacks with both the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys, McCarthy was brought in specifically to establish stability at the position for the post-Rodgers era. "The answer does appear to be he knows what he's doing with young quarterbacks. Like, they both looked like they had a clue," Eisen observed. "So they got the right guy for a franchise that's, after Rodgers, done churning through to find the next Big Ben [Roethlisberger], or at least a bridge quarterback. McCarthy's going to be the right guy for that." With the Steelers historically picking outside the top draft slots, having McCarthy coach up mid-to-late-round talents like Allar and Howard gives Pittsburgh a clear blueprint for 2027 and beyond. For now, however, the offense remains firmly under Rodgers' command. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Rich Eisen shuts down talk of Steelers benching Aaron Rodgers