Mike McCarthy reveals what Steelers rookie quarterback Drew Allar’s biggest weakness is and what he needs to do to overcome it
Drew Allar has all the traits needed to be the Steelers’ starting quarterback of the future according to Mike McCarthy, but there is one thing he has to fix.
Drew Allar was the main attraction at the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp over the weekend, and for good reason. With no other quarterback at the two days of activities, the third-round pick received the lion’s share of the reps.
With those reps came some criticism of Allar, as a clip went viral of him doing a drill that many didn’t understand the meaning of, leading multiple quarterbacks to come to his defense. But when asked about what Allar can do to improve, Mike McCarthy wasn’t light on words.
Drew Allar Facts
- Mr Ohio for football.
- Took Penn State to the CFP semifinal in 2024-2025.
- Grew up a Browns fan.
Mike McCarthy cites footwork as an area of improvement for Drew Allar
“Yeah, I think it makes a difference,” said McCarthy via the Steelers YouTube channel when asked about improving Allar’s footwork. “It gives you the ability to play faster, gives you the ability to transition in and out of the challenges that occur throughout quarterback play. We’re teaching him different than the way he’s played before. He hasn’t spent a lot of time under center. He’s a run-and-shoot guy in high school. He’s played from nine yards deep. So, there’s just a lot of newness to him.”
“It’s just like anything, when you see the response from Friday’s practice, talk about it Saturday morning, and then for him to go out there and do it today, that’s encouraging. It’s really the same types of stuff that we went through with Will [Howard] four weeks ago. So, these are two young guys that have a lot of football in front of them, got a lot of work to do, but gosh, they’re definitely wired the right way, and they bring an excellent physical skill set.”
How Drew Allar can improve his footwork
A quarterback’s footwork is the foundation of everything. And much like a home that’s being rebuilt, sometimes you have to tear it down to the studs and build it back up. That’s Allar in a nutshell.
If he can get his feet consistently on time and in rhythm, his mechanics and accuracy should follow. When that happens, then comes the confidence and ability to make plays in pressure moments. It all starts with the fundamentals, and that’s what Coach McCarthy is aiming to prove in Pittsburgh.