The Pittsburgh Steelers had many draft experts convinced they would target a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft. Of course, the Steelers did not do that, but they did end up drafting rookie quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round. Howard joins Pittsburgh after leading Ohio State to a National Championship victory and a tremendous 2024 college football season. During the stretch in the College Football Playoff, Howard really turned the heads of the Steelers' brass. That showing played a big part in the organization drafting Howard in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers QB Will Howard during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
His draft hype never really grew, though. Many draft pundits focused on several other quarterbacks and passed on Howard. Early reports out of training camp indicated that the rookie was performing well. He had actually overtaken Skylar Thompson for the QB3 spot, many insiders claimed. Then Howard suffered a hand injury, which slowed everything down.
Thompson shined in the preseason, Mason Rudolph looked pretty bad, and Howard didn’t get any opportunities, of course, because he was recovering from his injury. On Tuesday, Steelers insider Gerry Dulac broke news on his social media that he believes Howard will be placed on injured reserve at some point. This had been speculated but now it appears as if Dulac is claiming it as a report.
The Steelers will place rookie QB Will Howard, their sixth-round pick, on injured reserve at some point, though not necessarily immediately, per sources
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) August 26, 2025
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin had just given an update on Howard on Monday, stating that he was progressing nicely in his recovery. However, this report seemed to reflect a slightly different sentiment. Howard was always going to have an uphill climb to earn any real opportunity in this quarterback room as a rookie.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' QBs Will Howard (left) and Aaron Rodgers (right) at mandatory minicamp.
Aaron Rodgers is in town for the 2025 season, and he’s here to guide this team over the hump. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season, which is why they went all in to acquire Rodgers and other key talents for this roster. The talented defense isn’t getting any younger, and Rodgers is viewed as the bridge quarterback to guide the team until the 2026 NFL Draft. Hosted in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are expected to draft their next potential franchise quarterback.
Steelers' Will Howard Will Have An Even Harder Time In 2026
The big concern for Steelers fans is that they believe in Howard far more than a typical sixth-round pick. Usually, when a player is drafted in the sixth round, you might think they could develop into something. However, the hype around Howard feels almost like an expectation, despite the fact that he was drafted late.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Will Howard looks to pass during training camp in Latrobe ahead of the 2025 season.
The issue for him is that he missed the preseason, which would have given the Steelers valuable opportunities to see him in game action. If the Steelers draft a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, they are expected to invest heavily in that player. That would reduce the team’s investment in Howard, making it even harder for him to get meaningful opportunities.
Rodgers is here for 2025, and unless something unfortunate happens, Howard will continue to receive mentorship from him. It will be interesting to see if Dulac’s reporting is correct and Howard is placed on injured reserve at some point. If that happens, he is expected to miss at least four weeks, though he can return after that period.
How do you feel about Dulac reporting that Howard will likely be placed on the Injured Reserve list at some point? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me.
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