The Pittsburgh Steelers have some decisions to make at QB. Although there’s a lot of hype around Will Howard, Pittsburgh doesn’t have a secure quarterback of the future yet. If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t come back, the Steelers might not even have a quarterback capable of keeping them in contention in 2026, either.
There’s a lot of names that have been thrown out that the Steelers should keep an eye on. Adding another to the mix, Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice thinks Spencer Rattler could find his way into that conversation.
“Another guy that I think it an interesting name, this is more low-key, is Spencer Rattler. I think someone might take a stab at him. People got to throw darts,” Tice said Wednesday on the Yahoo Sports Daily podcast. “That’s really what I think is gonna be so interesting about all these candidates this offseason. Someone might throw a fourth-rounder for Rattler, and just go like, ‘Hey, see if this guy can start for us. Or see if this guy can do it.’ Like, the Steelers, or something.”
It’s speculation from Tice, and he doesn’t mean the Steelers have actually shown any interest. But Rattler is an interesting name for the Steelers to ponder at QB.
Rattler was drafted in the fifth round by the New Orleans Saints in 2024. He started a string at of games at the end of that season and opened the 2025 season as the Saints’ QB1. However, he eventually was replaced by Tyler Shough, the Saints’ second-round pick last April.
Rattler has appeared in 16 NFL games with 14 starts. He has a career completion rate of 62.7 percent with 2,903 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His career passer rating is 78.9. With Shough playing well to end last season, Rattler likely will enter the 2026 as the backup. That could make him expendable.
However, Rattler certainly wouldn’t be high on any lists of available quarterbacks, even in an offseason with this little talent available at the position. For one, he’s won just one of the 14 games he’s started. He didn’t have a ton of talent around him, but Rattler just didn’t show a ton of progression last season.
That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t make some sense for the Steelers. It wouldn’t cost a lot, potentially not even the fourth-round pick Tice throws out there. But if Rodgers doesn’t come back, the Steelers only have two quarterbacks in Mason Rudolph and Howard. They will want to go into training camp with at least four. The draft, free agency and the trade market are all dismal. The Steelers are going to have to add another QB from somewhere.
Maybe that could be Rattler. He likely wouldn’t be brought in as the starter, but if the Steelers struggle to fill the position as the offseason progresses, he could be a name to watch.