QB Guru Mike McCarthy
by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published June 12, 2026, 7:19 AM
McCarthy’s Quarterback School: Why Footwork Still Matters
McCarthy QB School
- McCarthy starts quarterback development from the ground up.
- Footwork remains the foundation of the offense.
- Tom Arth earned praise for his teaching methods.
- Drew Allar and Will Howard showed measurable improvement.
- McCarthy believes the tape is confirming the progress.
There is a tendency among fans to focus on arm strength, highlight throws, and deep balls sailing 50 yards downfield. Mike McCarthy sees something much different.
“Well, I think, like every position of football, I mean, there’s technique you believe quarterbacks, no different,” McCarthy said. “It starts with a stance, proper footwork coming out of that stance, and how it fits each and every everything that we do in a run game, in the pass game.”
Before a quarterback ever delivers a football, he studies how the player stands, how he moves his feet, and whether every movement is tied to the offense.
That philosophy was on display Tuesday when McCarthy discussed extra work with young quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar. What stood out wasn’t flashy praise. It was his appreciation for improvement.
The Steelers coaching staff has spent weeks drilling the details. Footwork. Timing. Mechanics. Repetition.
McCarthy specifically pointed to quarterback coach Tom Arth and the teaching process that has allowed both young signal callers to progress.
For Howard and Allar, this isn’t about learning how to throw. Both have done that their entire lives.
This is about learning how to play quarterback the Steelers way.
The encouraging sign for Pittsburgh is that McCarthy believes the growth is already showing up on film. That’s exactly what coaches want before training camp arrives in Latrobe.
Aaron Rodgers: The Last Graduate Of Real Quarterback School
McCarthy and Rodgers
- Rodgers experienced the NFL’s final true quarterback school era.
- The 2011 CBA dramatically changed offseason development.
- McCarthy credits extra reps for accelerating growth.
- Rodgers serves as a resource for younger Steelers quarterbacks.
- Pittsburgh benefits from decades of quarterback experience.
Aaron Rodgers may be more than a future Hall of Famer.
According to Mike McCarthy, he may be the final quarterback to experience the NFL’s original version of quarterback school.
“Well, Aaron he’s probably the last true quarterback school participant,” McCarthy said before OTA session was about to begin.” Because 2010 was the last year you were able to have in 2011 it’s when the CBA came in.”
Before the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement changed offseason rules, coaches had significantly more time to teach and develop young players.
Rodgers benefited from that environment under McCarthy in Green Bay.
The Steelers coach believes those additional reps created enormous advantages for quarterbacks. It was the most obvious with rookie minicamp and rookie Drew Allar being the only quarterback working through the session.
More time. More instruction. More refinement and more opportunities to master the small details.
A posse full of coaches surrounded Allar as they progressed through the practices.
McCarthy described it as common sense. The greater the amount of quality work, the faster a player can operate within an offense.
Rodgers became one of the most efficient quarterbacks in NFL history during that developmental period.
Now, 16 years after the CBA changed the landscape, Rodgers arrives in Pittsburgh carrying the lessons of a football era that no longer exists.
It’s one reason McCarthy values his presence around Drew Allar and Will Howard.
The veteran quarterback is essentially a walking blueprint of what quarterback school once looked like.
Mike McCarthy Enjoying Extra Time With Steelers Young Quarterbacks
McCarthy’s Quarterback School Notable Students
- Brett Favre
- Aaron Rodgers
- Dak Prescott
- Arron Brooks
The final week of Organized Team Activities has provided Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy with a unique opportunity. With veterans and rookies continuing to learn the system, McCarthy admitted he’s enjoyed spending additional time working with young quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar.
“So, this has been a fun week,” McCarthy said. “Spending a little more extra time with the two young guys, and watching the drills.”
For a coach who has spent decades developing quarterbacks, those words carry weight. While much of the attention surrounding Pittsburgh’s quarterback room centers on veteran leadership, the long-term future of the position could very well be taking shape on the practice fields this summer.
