{"id":864639,"date":"2026-04-12T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T08:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/864639\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T08:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T08:00:17","slug":"steelers-seek-afc-north-style-qb-in-2024-nfl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/864639\/","title":{"rendered":"Steelers Seek AFC North-Style QB in 2024 NFL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"submission-link-wrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.nationaltoday.com\/news?location=Pittsburgh%2C+PA&amp;city=Pittsburgh&amp;type=Update+Existing+Story&amp;headline=Steelers+Seek+AFC+North-Style+QB+in+2024+NFL+Draft&amp;page=https%3A%2F%2Fnationaltoday.com%2Fus%2Fpa%2Fpittsburgh%2Fnews%2F2026%2F04%2F12%2Fsteelers-seek-afc-north-style-qb-in-2024-nfl-draft%2F\" class=\"submission-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Got story updates? Submit your updates here. \u203a<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69db4896c3701.jpg\" alt=\"A cubist, geometric painting depicting a football player in motion, with the figure broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color, capturing the raw energy and physicality of the sport.\" width=\"1344\" height=\"768\" class=\"news-image\"\/>The Steelers&#8217; search for an &#8216;AFC North-style&#8217; quarterback reflects the unique challenges of the division, where physical toughness and resilience are essential.Today in Pittsburgh<\/p>\n<p>As the Pittsburgh Steelers search for their next franchise quarterback, they are prioritizing a player who can thrive in the harsh winter conditions of the AFC North division. With the arrival of new head coach Mike McCarthy, the team is looking for a strong-armed passer with the physical attributes to excel in the cold, leading them to consider Penn State&#8217;s Drew Allar as a potential third-round pick.<\/p>\n<p>        Why it matters<\/p>\n<p>The Steelers&#8217; quarterback search is crucial for the team&#8217;s long-term success, as they aim to find a successor to the legendary Ben Roethlisberger. McCarthy&#8217;s emphasis on an &#8216;AFC North-style&#8217; quarterback reflects the unique challenges of the division, where teams must be able to win tough, physical games in inclement weather.<\/p>\n<p>                The details<\/p>\n<p>Allar, a native of Ohio, possesses the size and arm strength that McCarthy desires, with the third-biggest hands and second-longest arms of any quarterback at the combine. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper praised Allar&#8217;s throwing ability, suggesting he could be a top-three quarterback taken. However, Allar&#8217;s inconsistent performance in big games has raised concerns, and the Steelers may see him as their best option with the top quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, already off the board.<\/p>\n<p>        The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled for April.The Steelers are currently in the process of evaluating quarterback prospects for the upcoming draft.<\/p>\n<p>          The players<\/p>\n<p>          Drew Allar<\/p>\n<p>A quarterback prospect from Penn State, known for his size and arm strength, which make him a potential fit for the Steelers&#8217; &#8216;AFC North-style&#8217; quarterback search.<\/p>\n<p>Mike McCarthy<\/p>\n<p>The new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who has emphasized the importance of finding a quarterback who can thrive in the harsh winter conditions of the AFC North division.<\/p>\n<p>Ben Roethlisberger<\/p>\n<p>The legendary former quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose success in the AFC North has set a high bar for the team&#8217;s next signal-caller.<\/p>\n<p>Fernando Mendoza<\/p>\n<p>The top quarterback prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, who is already off the board, leaving the Steelers to consider other options like Drew Allar.<\/p>\n<p>Ty Simpson<\/p>\n<p>Another quarterback prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, but one who may not fit the &#8216;AFC North-style&#8217; that the Steelers are seeking due to his smaller stature and limited starting experience.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.nationaltoday.com\/news?location=Pittsburgh%2C+PA&amp;city=Pittsburgh&amp;type=Upload+Story+Photos&amp;headline=Steelers+Seek+AFC+North-Style+QB+in+2024+NFL+Draft&amp;page=https%3A%2F%2Fnationaltoday.com%2Fus%2Fpa%2Fpittsburgh%2Fnews%2F2026%2F04%2F12%2Fsteelers-seek-afc-north-style-qb-in-2024-nfl-draft%2F\" class=\"submission-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Got photos? Submit your photos here. \u203a<\/a><br \/>\n                What they\u2019re saying<\/p>\n<p class=\"news-quote-quote\">\u201cWe must find a quarterback who can perform in the cold and thrive in the tough conditions of the AFC North. That&#8217;s the type of player we&#8217;re looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"news-quote-cite\">\u2014 Mike McCarthy, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers<\/p>\n<p class=\"news-quote-quote\">\u201cDrew Allar has the physical tools to be a successful quarterback in the NFL, with his arm strength and size being particularly appealing. He could be a potential third-round pick.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"news-quote-cite\">\u2014 Mel Kiper, ESPN Draft Analyst<\/p>\n<p class=\"news-quote-quote\">\u201cTy Simpson&#8217;s limited starting experience is a concern, but his background as the son of a coach could be an advantage as teams get to know him better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"news-quote-cite\">\u2014 Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network Analyst<\/p>\n<p>                What\u2019s next<\/p>\n<p>The Steelers will continue to evaluate quarterback prospects in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft, with a focus on finding a player who can thrive in the harsh conditions of the AFC North division.<\/p>\n<p>          The takeaway<\/p>\n<p>The Steelers&#8217; search for their next franchise quarterback reflects the unique challenges of the AFC North, where teams must be able to win tough, physical games in inclement weather. Drew Allar&#8217;s physical attributes make him a potential fit, but his inconsistent performance in big games could be a concern for the team as they look to find the right player to lead them into the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Got story updates? Submit your updates here. \u203a The Steelers&#8217; search for an &#8216;AFC North-style&#8217; quarterback reflects the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":864640,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2055],"tags":[7,6,520,57,2360,426],"class_list":{"0":"post-864639","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pittsburgh-steelers","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-nfl","10":"tag-pittsburgh","11":"tag-pittsburgh-steelers","12":"tag-pittsburghsteelers","13":"tag-steelers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116390686888955888","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/864639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=864639"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/864639\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/864640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=864639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=864639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=864639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}