The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for a massive quarterback competition ahead of the 2026 season. This is a critical time for both Will Howard and Mason Rudolph, who may have to fight for the right to wear the Black and Gold for another year in training camp. One is young and has upside, while the other has experience and a proven track record of playing well in short-term situations. There are a ton of what-ifs and questions about both of them, but the only way to find out is to watch them in July and August.
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Steelers' quarterbacks Will Howard (left) and Mason Rudolph (right) during voluntary minicamp on April 21, 2026.
Howard is the main one that has something to prove, as he never got a chance to do that in 2025. In a recent episode of Up & Adams, the former sixth-round pick explained exactly what he's doing to get better and not only get a spot on the roster, but show how the analysis of him coming out of the draft was very wrong.
"The biggest thing [for me] coming out of college was using my body, and I feel like a knock on me coming out of the draft was arm strength and stuff like that..." Howard said. "One of the things that we've been working on a lot is just keeping my cleats in the ground, utilizing all the ground force that I possibly can, and really just refining my mechanics and shoring some things up."
Coming out of college, Howard was seen as more of a game manager than a vertical threat, partially due to that supposed lack of arm strength. He's been praised a lot for his leadership and mentality, but there still needs to be some level of talent there for him to be more than just a future mentor as a journeyman backup. Now, he needs to improve physically.
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Steelers QB Will Howard during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Keeping his feet on the ground will be a good way for Howard to utilize all the strength he has. Once a player in any sport jumps up to make a throw, they lose so much arm strength and accuracy. Setting his feet does not matter if he's just going to leave his feet for whatever reason. His poise in the pocket is great, so there really should not be a reason for him to do a jump pass.
Another knock on him is his inability to throw into a tight window while relying more on jump balls, even though his accuracy was not questioned at all. That's where keeping his feet on the ground will come in handy. He has the ability to thread the needle like that, but not enough power to do so. If he can stay grounded and use all that force while keeping his accuracy, that should quickly become a strength.
Steelers Will Be Watching Howard's Progression Closely
Howard spoke about how the coaches have been working on him to help him stay grounded, but time is running out. With training camp and preseason coming up in a couple months, he will have to start showing everything he learned and how well he's learned it all. He won't have the luxury of getting another mulligan year to see what he can be if he doesn't improve now.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Former Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth (left) and signal-caller Will Howard stand alongside one another during a 2025 practice at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
If that doesn't happen, Howard could end up getting cut. He may or may not be kept around on the practice squad, but being QB3 or 4 in practice is not how he will get better. The Steelers have loved their veterans historically, so they wouldn't mind an excuse to keep Rudolph around for another year to help mentor Drew Allar. The former sixth-rounder has worked hard on staying grounded, and it's about time to show that he can do it well.
What do you think about Howard trying to stay on his feet more? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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