Steelers QB Will Howard Earns Surprising Approval From Hall Of Fame Quarterback Kurt Warner

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Many Steelers fans were actually excited by the pick, believing that Howard, a National Championship–winning quarterback, falling to the sixth round represented outstanding value. Although an injury derailed much of his preseason development and limited his opportunities early on, he quietly impressed coaches during his rookie year, particularly in practices where his command of the offense and poise stood out.

Now, questions are beginning to swirl around what the Steelers plan to do at quarterback, especially with the 2026 NFL Draft set to be held in Pittsburgh. The franchise has accumulated enough draft capital to realistically consider moving up the board if they identify a prospect they truly believe in. That possibility has fueled speculation among fans and analysts alike, as the organization balances its belief in Howard’s potential against the temptation to pursue a more highly touted prospect.

The top quarterback prospect in the 2026 class is widely viewed as Fernando Mendoza from Indiana, who won a national title with the Hoosiers the year after Howard’s championship run. Despite similar collegiate success, the two quarterbacks entered the draft process with very different levels of hype and perceived upside. 

While speaking on the Bleav in Steelers podcast on Friday, a Hall of Fame quarterback, Kurt Warner, offered a telling observation about Howard’s development and what Pittsburgh’s best long-term option at the position might be heading into the 2026 season.

"Could you go get a young guy? Yeah, I think that is a definite possibility," Warner said. "Where do you get the young guy is really the question more than anything. Obviously, Will Howard, you drafted him last year. When I look at these quarterbacks in the draft this year and then I look at Will Howard, is there many guys? I mean, Mendoza will probably be way off the board before that, but are any of these other guys like head and shoulders better? Did they convince you more than Will convinced you when he won the National Championship a year ago? I don't think so."

When the Steelers were tinkering around with recruiting Aaron Rodgers for the 2025 season, there was lots of talk about the 2026 quarterback class. Well, now that it is here, it looks very underwhelming, with some of the players who were once considered top names seeing their stock fall significantly. 

Maybe the Steelers could find a quarterback like Drew Allar, whose stock has dropped and who could now represent solid value, or maybe they take Warner’s advice and see what Howard has to offer during the 2026 season.

"I don't think there are any of those guys in this draft that just wow you to the point of saying, 'Oh, he's way better than Will, let's go get him,'" Warner said.

Of course, now the Steelers have far more issues than just the quarterback position. 

Steelers Still Searching For Next Head Coach

For the first time since 2007, the Steelers have a vacancy at head coach. The organization is doing its due diligence in trying to find the best possible option for the job after Mike Tomlin stepped away following another early playoff disappointment at the end of the 2025 season. 

Now, the Steelers face question marks across the roster at nearly every critical position, along with the uncertainty of a new head coach. Until those larger issues are resolved, the future of the quarterback position may end up being just one part of a much bigger rebuilding process in Pittsburgh. Steeler Nation is eager to watch this next chapter of Steelers football unfold.

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