Jerome Bettis has seen a lot of quarterbacks come through Pittsburgh over the years. So when the Hall of Fame running back watches Drew Allar, he notices something familiar.
The Steelers took Allar with the 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He came out of Penn State. And in a crowded quarterback room that already has Aaron Rodgers locked in as the starter, Allar is trying to carve out a role. Bettis thinks the rookie has the physical tools to do it.
In an interview with DJ Siddiqi of Action Network, Bettis compared Allar to the guy who won two Super Bowls for this franchise.
“He’s a pretty big kid. He’s definitely not as athletic as Ben was. Ben could move, he was a big, big dude, but he could move. I don’t know if he’s as athletic as Ben, but in terms of size, he’s got that size,” Bettis said. “I’m thinking of the guys in the league that are that tall, he’s got to be 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5. He’s up there, so I just think from the physical perspective, he’s supremely talented. He’s got a big arm. He can make all the throws, so it’s just about learning the NFL game.”
Bettis didn’t stop at the comparison. He also pointed out the situation Allar walked into — and what it could mean for his development.
Learning From a First-Ballot Hall of Famer
Allar is behind Rodgers on the depth chart. That’s not a bad place to be for a rookie. For Bettis, it’s a rare chance the kid needs to take seriously.
“Well, hopefully he can pick up a whole lot. When you have a Hall of Fame player at your position in the building, you should soak up everything you can,” Bettis said. “Hopefully that happens, and Drew sees it, understands it, and utilizes it. Because that’s a rare opportunity to have a player of that stature and ability in the building, so hopefully that helps springboard him to a great career as well.”
Rodgers is 42 now. He’s not the long-term answer in Pittsburgh. Whether Allar or someone else in that room becomes the guy remains to be seen. But the Steelers clearly liked enough about Allar to spend a third-round pick on him, and Bettis sees the raw material.
Allar has the frame. He has the arm. He’s working with a four-time MVP every day. The rest is on him.
Whether Bettis’ comparison to Roethlisberger ends up being fair is something nobody can answer yet. But having a legend in the building see those similarities is a better start than most rookies get.
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