Kyle Allen's first preseason with the Detroit Lions has been a tale of two stories thus far. We effectively wrote the veteran quarterback off following a dismal team debut and lauded the Pittsburgh Steelers for moving on from him this offseason. However, his encore performance was infinitely better, so maybe that was a tad premature.
Allen's game-to-game swing from Detroit's 2025 exhibition opener to his efforts versus the Atlanta Falcons in the ensuing contest is a lesson not to overreact. One outing shouldn't define someone, though instances like this are also reminders that throwing out our priors is acceptable and even encouraged. With that in mind, perhaps the Steelers hastily moved on from him.
Tomlin and the Steelers presumably want to see those who have once donned the black and gold succeed elsewhere. Nonetheless, subconsciously, every organization wants to be proven right for its personnel decisions; otherwise, why allow people to depart? Pittsburgh is no exception, and Allen can stick it to them.
Kyle Allen could spoil Steelers' victory lap by securing Lions' QB2 spot
Left for dead after Detroit's Hall of Fame Game blowout defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers, Allen was in command against the Falcons. He completed 7-of-8 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns to the tune of a perfect passer rating (158.3). All three of his drives resulted in points, propelling the Lions to a 17-10 victory in Atlanta as fellow reserve Hendon Hooker continues to struggle.
Did the Steelers make a mistake if Allen wins the Lions' No. 2 signal-caller job? Pittsburgh seemingly chose reuniting with Mason Rudolph over him, which can surely backfire. This could be a moot point if newcomer Aaron Rodgers doesn't miss any time, but handing Detroit a viable backup can be considered a loss.
Steelers barely gave Kyle Allen a chance before going in a different direction
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin appeared to be validated for letting Allen walk and sign with the two-time defending NFC North champions in March. Yet, all it took was one more match for the journeyman thrower to undo the image impairment he brought on himself. The turn of events is emblematic of Pittsburgh choosing to part ways with a potentially impactful player without properly evaluating them.
Allen logged two snaps and attempted a single pass for the Steelers in 2024. What did Tomlin and Co. learn from the practically nonexistent sample size?