The Pittsburgh Steelers are finally kicking off 2026's Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on Monday. There are many question marks heading into these practices, like offensive line combinations, the quarterback situation, and many more. While it's early, OTAs can give a sneak peek at what the coaching staff is experimenting with and how particular players could make an impact. The first day of OTAs has already brought a big surprise in the quarterback room, with the signal-caller who is taking second-team reps being someone surprising in the 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard.
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Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
With many believing that veteran backup Mason Rudolph would get the second-team reps, Howard already making the jump early could mean that the coaching staff is confident in him. The plan is that he could be the team's primary backup in 2026 if they see growth, as he is in the running to be the team's next starting quarterback in 2027. Making Howard the QB2 would only give him more reps to gear up for a potential battle with 2026 third-round pick Drew Allar in 2027.
This new direction could tell a story about how the Steelers are evaluating their quarterback situation. Throughout the offseason, Howard has been speculated to be a potential cut candidate, but taking these reps with the twos means that there could be a larger role for him going forward. Steelers beat writer, Mike DeFabo, reported on Howard's reps in the portion of practice where the media were allowed.
It’s early. Very early.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) May 18, 2026
But on May 18, four months before the season kicks off, Will Howard took the QB2 reps behind Aaron Rodgers during the period open to the media.
The rotation continued with Mason Rudolph and then Drew Allar. pic.twitter.com/oqCWj8sii7
This could spell bad news for Rudolph, as many thought his experience would put him a level above the younger players. However, this development proves that he may be fighting for his job, especially if the young signal-callers show signs of improvement. This would mean the Steelers would be going with a quarterback with no career NFL snaps as their second option. This may be a risk that Pittsburgh is willing to take just to ensure their young gunslingers get quality reps and the coaching staff can really make a solid evaluation.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers Quarterback Will Howard at Training Camp in 2025 in Latrobe, PA
Howard missed the 2025 preseason with a finger injury and remained on injured reserve for a good chunk of the regular season. He then served as the team's emergency third quarterback. Many believed that Howard had some really good reps in training camp before the injury. This could be his first full healthy offseason and preseason, barring injury, and with some of the NFL nuances under his belt after spending a season with the team, he could make some big progress. This initial "promotion" in OTAs could mean that the team is ready to move on from its veteran backup and just take a chance on the youth.
Steelers Could Be Willing To Take The Risk Of Young QB Depth
While the roster is set up to win now with the recent signing of Aaron Rodgers and the front office's offseason additions, if Rodgers were to go down, the young quarterbacks would be next in line. This would only happen if Rudolph were cut, which seems increasingly more likely, but the Steelers going with two young arms as their depth could become a reality.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike McCarthy coaches up rookie quarterback Drew Allar during the rookie minicamp in 2026.
Pittsburgh will be headed into a new era in 2027, when Rodgers eventually retires. If he were to get hurt, taking a long look at how the young arms fare in the NFL could be beneficial for the future. The OTAs are a very early portion of offseason activities, but this already means that Rudolph may be in trouble, and Howard is getting a leg up on the veteran.
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