Steelers' Will Howard Gets Huge Endorsement From Michael Pittman Jr: "I Think He's Ready"

The Pittsburgh Steelers held their first day of Organized Team Activities on Monday for 2026. While OTAs typically aren't very eventful, the Steelers delivered a big surprise. Second-year quarterback Will Howard was the team's second-string quarterback, with Mason Rudolph being the third-stringer. Rudolph is going into his ninth season with 19 career starts, going 9-9-1. He also has a playoff start, which he made in 2024. He is the franchise's second-most-experienced signal-caller currently, despite his positioning on Day 1 of OTAs.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy has praised Howard all offseason, even saying he believes the former Ohio State Buckeyes star can be a starter in the NFL. Howard was the team's QB1 in voluntary minicamp, but now he's QB2 with Aaron Rodgers officially re-signing. It's clear McCarthy and staff see something in the former national champion, however. Apparently, so does one of Howard's wide receivers, giving him massive praise after the team's first day of OTAs. 

Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. had a press conference on Monday. He was asked a plethora of questions, but his answer about Howard's QB2 status was eye-opening. He gave Howard a huge endorsement, showing great confidence in the former sixth-round selection if he does get into a game in 2026. 

"I've had more time to throw with Will and I think he's ready to step up whenever his name is called," Pittman stated.

Obviously, Howard has not seen any real NFL action yet, not even in the preseason. The upcoming exhibition games in August will be a good test of his development and whether he will remain the team's QB2. If he impresses, he will likely remain the primary backup. If not, then things will get very complicated. Howard is not the only young quarterback who is looking to become the starter in the future. 

With the first of their third-round picks, the Steelers drafted quarterback Drew Allar out of Penn State. Allar, who was drafted three rounds ahead of Howard, is a project currently being stripped down to the studs. Allar seemingly provides a higher ceiling, but Howard seemingly has a higher floor. One day, one of these two players will likely be the franchise's starter. It will be up to the coaching staff to determine which one.

The quarterback room is getting crowded with Howard getting the second-team reps and Allar being a recent third-round selection. It will be very hard for the Steelers to keep both Rudolph and Howard, as well as Allar. It will likely be a battle between Rudolph and Howard for the team's QB2 spot, with the loser potentially being cut or dealt, though it looks like Howard may already have the upper hand. 

Steelers Have A Tough Decision To Make

With four quarterbacks now on the roster, one will likely move on. With Allar being a rookie third-round pick, he is likely safe from being cut, as McCarthy will want him to sit and learn behind Rodgers. It will likely be a battle between Rudolph and Howard as mentioned, and with it so early in the offseason, there's no telling what will happen. Fans will have a much better idea come training camp when the pads come on. We will have to see how the rest of the OTAs play out and how the reps are distributed. 

Rudolph has the experience and even helped save the franchise's season in 2023 with his play. However, he's been widely regarded as nothing more than a veteran backup. With McCarthy's intrigue for younger, talented quarterbacks, Rudolph is at a clear disadvantage. He may want to see what he really has in Howard, making Rudolph the odd man out. It's going to be a very interesting training camp for the Steelers.

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