After the offseason departures of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, the Pittsburgh Steelers had no choice but to completely reset their quarterback room for the 2025 season. Wilson and Fields led the Steelers to a 10-7 record in 2024, but Pittsburgh appeared to want to head in a new direction for 2025.
AP Photo / Matt Freed
Steelers' Russell Wilson and Justin Fields warming up before a preseason game in 2024.
In free agency, the Steelers signed three-year veteran from Kansas State, Skylar Thompson, as well as Mason Rudolph, who spent 2018-2023 being a serviceable backup in Pittsburgh. In the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh used a sixth-round pick on Ohio State's Will Howard.
Pittsburgh then signed four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers on June 7th, handing him the keys to the Steelers' offense. With Rodgers the shoe-in starter, training camp and the preseason would prove as an open battle for second- and third-string positions on the Steelers' depth chart.
The Steelers will begin the 2025 preseason this Saturday when they travel to face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Everbank Stadium. The preseason is a great opportunity for rookies and unproven veterans to show their talents, and try to secure a spot on the 53-man roster.
There are many players that Steelers fans and coaches will have their eyes on during the preseason, but one of those players will not be Howard. Howard suffered an injury to his pinky finger on his throwing hand during practice on Tuesday, an injury that will likely keep him out of the entire preseason. On a recent episode of Kaboly + Mack, respected team insider Mark Kaboly gave his thoughts on the injury to Howard.
"It could have been much worse," Kaboly said.
Although the injury doesn't appear to be all that serious, it could not have come at a worse time for Howard. As an unproven rookie with lots of potential upside competing for a backup role, availability is everything.
If the injury does indeed keep Howard out for three weeks or so, he will not only miss all three preseason games for the Steelers, but valuable practice reps as well. Winning preseasons games isn't necessarily the goal for the Steelers, as Rudolph and Thompson will likely handle a majority of the reps and do just fine. However, it could have a major effect on the future of Howard's career in Pittsburgh.
Sebastian Foltz / Post-Gazette
Steelers' Will Howard drops back during his rookie minicamp in 2025.
The Steelers signed Rodgers to a one-year deal with the intention that 2025 will be the final year of his NFL career, meaning the starting quarterback role will in all likelihood be open heading into the 2026 offseason.
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has already hinted that the team will be focusing on drafting a quarterback in 2026, meaning the 2025 preseason could've been Howard's only opportunity to show the team what he can do. Kaboly's co-host, Chris Mack, detailed why the injury is such a big deal.
"Will Howard may not get to show them at all in any kind of competitive environment what he's capable of before next spring's draft when we've all agreed that they pretty much have to draft a quarterback," Mack said.
Granted, the preseason is the preseason. If Howard was to play in the preseason, he would likely be facing second- and third-string players, and as Steelers fans witnessed in 2023 with Kenny Pickett, preseason success can only get you so far. However, any development Howard can experience during his rookie season would be a step in the right direction. Now, it is unlikely he'll be able to get any development outside of weekly practice during the season.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Will Howard leads the huddle during rookie minicamp in 2025.
Steelers' Backup Quarterback Role Likely Goes to Rudolph
With Howard likely to miss the entire 2025 preseason, Rudolph most definitely earns the backup quarterback spot on the Steelers' depth chart. It is likely that Rudolph would've been named the backup regardless of Howard's preseason performance, with Howard being settling for third-string. Rudolph is no stranger to the backup role. During his first six seasons in the Pittsburgh, he appeared in 21 games while making 13 starts filling in for an injured Pickett and Ben Roethlisberger.
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