The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most-talked-about quarterback situations in the NFL as the franchise is awaiting a decision from Aaron Rodgers on whether or not he wants to continue his playing career. If the veteran quarterback wants to continue playing, it is assumed that he will be the starting quarterback in Pittsburgh, but there is also a ton of excitement surrounding second-year quarterback Will Howard. New head coach Mike McCarthy has not tried to hide his excitement about the young signal-caller.
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Steelers quarterback Will Howard during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Howard has a lot of hype surrounding him within the fan base and from some members of the coaching staff, but it is still hard to tell if he will ever even get a chance to take the field in a meaningful football game for the Steelers. He was the third-string quarterback in 2025, and if Rodgers comes back in 2026, there is no guarantee that will change. However, his new head coach seems to love him. McCarthy spoke about Howard with the media on Tuesday, and he had nothing but glowing remarks.
"He has all the traits to be a starting quarterback," McCarthy said of Howard. "If I was drafting players that year, he wouldn't have been around in the fifth or sixth round. I valued him higher than that based off Kansas State and man I thought he jumped out of the TV set during the College Playoffs. I think he's definitely a real prospect as a starting quarterback."
The head coach has clearly been a fan of Howard for some time, and he saw a good amount of improvement when watching practice film during the 2025 season. He did not understand how the quarterback fell to the sixth round, but it seems like Pittsburgh might have gotten some great value with the selection.
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Steelers quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (8) and Will Howard (18) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Howard has a winning background after leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to a victory in the National Championship at the end of the 2024 football season. That winning background plus a clear willingness to improve and get better is going to win a coach over, and it seems that has worked on McCarthy. It is also important to note that Howard just possesses all the physical traits that a team might want in a starting quarterback at the NFL level. He has a large frame, and he can also use his legs to move. By no means is he a dual-threat quarterback, but he can be a rushing threat and he can extend plays.
The hopes for Howard are probably a little bit too high. He is going to have a ton of pressure on him whenever he does get the chance to see the field. Hopefully he will be able to deliver whenever that time comes.
Steelers' Will Howard Will Probably See Some Sort Of Promotion
It seems like there is a good chance that Rodgers is going to return in 2026, and if he doesn't, Plan B may be some sort of quarterback competition during training camp that Howard would presumably be involved. However, if Rodgers does return it is fair to assume that McCarthy would make him the veteran's primary backup. McCarthy has barely even mentioned Mason Rudolph since being hired as the head coach in Pittsburgh, and that is something that has not caught a lot of attention.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers quarterbacks Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Aaron Rodgers warm up prior to Pittsburgh's 34-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 of the 2025 NFL regular season.
Howard becoming the primary backup would be great for his development as he would get more reps throughout the week of practice once the season begins. He will also have a chance to see the field if Rodgers goes down or a game gets out of hand. Prioritizing his development is what fans want to see, and McCarthy seems to be willing to do that.
What do you think about McCarthy's comments on Howard? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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