Steelers’ third-string QB ready if needed

Pittsburgh is Kyle Allen’s fifth NFL stop after playing for Buffalo last season.

With his fifth NFL franchise over a six-year span, Kyle Allen doesn’t flinch at joining a completely revamped Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks room.

“I have been on a lot of teams,” Allen said with a smile after an organized team activities session last week. “So I am used to getting to know people.”

The Steelers jettisoned each of the four QBs on their roster after last season ended with a playoff loss in Buffalo. On the other sideline that day was Allen, who was backing up Bills star Josh Allen (no relation).

Kyle Allen was the lowest-profile of three veteran former starters the Steelers acquired this spring. And while nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson and recent first-round draft pick Justin Fields understandably get all the attention, Steelers fans know all too well the value of a good QB3.

Last season, of course, it was Mason Rudolph starting that playoff game in Buffalo. Like Allen, Rudolph was on a one-year deal with a league veteran minimum salary to serve as the third stringer.

“A lot of people that are not in the league say, ‘Oh, backup quarterback is the best job in the NFL — you don’t have to do anything, blah, blah, blah,’ ” said Allen, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018. “But I have started games (at one point during each of four different seasons). I have played in games all six years of my career.

“I am not saying it’s going to happen this year — but it’s been inevitable, so I am always ready.”

Allen, 28, started the season finale for the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted rookie. The next season, he made 12 starts for the Panthers after winning the backup role to Cam Newton. He made four starts for Washington in 2020 and two for the Houston Texans in 2022 before signing to be Josh Allen’s backup last season.

Now with the Steelers as the next man up after Wilson and Fields, Allen has built quite the collection of high-profile teammates past and present.

“It’s cool — my rookie year when I was in the room with Cam Newton, that was like, ‘Whoa,’ ” Allen said. “Because I was 22 at the time, and I grew up wearing Cam Newton’s cleats. I’ve played with Alex Smith, played with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh. I’ve played with a lot of really good quarterbacks. And Russ and Justin are up there with all of them.

“Everyone’s different. Everyone’s got a different personality, got their own knowledge from what they have had in the past, so it’s cool to get to know some new guys who have accomplished things in this league.”

Allen, it could be argued, has a more accomplished resume at this point than Rudolph had as last summer’s Steelers third quarterback. In 30 games (19 starts), Allen has 26 touchdown passes, four rushing touchdowns and an 82.2 passer rating.

Interestingly, his path to Pittsburgh mirrored that of Mitch Trubisky, who similarly served a season as Josh Allen’s backup before signing with the Steelers.

Another trivial Allen factoid: Three times, he played against the Steelers in the preseason.

“I have been in (Acrisure Stadium) a bunch of times,” Allen said.

“I have always watched Pittsburgh, and they have been good for so long; ever since I was growing up they have been good, watching Ben (Roethlisberger). So it’s been cool to be part of a storied franchise.”

Allen called Wilson and Fields “good dudes” and said he likes the dynamic amongst the quarterbacks, a group that also includes undrafted rookie John Rhys Plumlee.

The odds might appear to be against Allen making a significant impact. But that was said about Rudolph last year. And Devlin Hodges in 2019. And even in Carolina that year when Allen began as the QB3 and started most of the Panthers’ games.

“Undrafted coming out of college, at that point I was just trying to chip away, throw good in practice and get reps, keep earning and keep taking advantage of my opportunities,” said Allen, who was recruited out of high school as the consensus top college quarterback prospect in the country. “I always felt like I could make it — but you know how football is, it’s circumstantial, it’s situational, there’s a lot of stuff out of your control. So I am happy to be here, and I’m preparing myself to be ready for this team.”