The Pittsburgh Steelers are still searching for their franchise quarterback, and it does not seem like the answer is on the current roster. Pittsburgh has been in the midst of a quarterback search for a few years now after legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022. There has been no sort of consistent answer under center since, and with Aaron Rodgers under center for one last year, it is key that Pittsburgh fills the void once he retires.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Will Howard has been a very popular player around Pittsburgh this offseason, and many fans believe that he deserves a chance to fight for the starting quarterback position once Rodgers retires. Howard is a second-year player out of Ohio State University and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Many people around Pittsburgh felt that Howard had a real chance to make noise and put his name firmly in the running for the backup quarterback position prior to the 2025 regular season. Unfortunately, he suffered a hand injury that brought his chances down to zero before the regular season even got underway. Mason Rudolph quickly took over the backup position and even when Howard returned healthy, Rudolph was the primary backup to Rodgers.
Howard is still gunning for that same position for this upcoming season and a lot of people around Pittsburgh want to see him get his chance to prove that he belongs in the NFL. The hurdles Howard has to climb over this season however, are not any easier. Pittsburgh went out and drafted Drew Allar from Penn State, who immediately challenges Howard for his role.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly does not feel very confident on Howard's chances to make the final roster and joined 93.7 The Fan recently to shed light on the situation.
"I don't see any way that this is possible if they don't keep four quarterbacks," Kaboly explained. "If you're trying to find a way to keep him on the roster, I promise you the 53rd man on the roster is not as important as Will Howard."
For Pittsburgh, it's a matter of whether or not they trust Howard to make strides this year. Howard can hope that if or when he gets his chance in preseason games, he makes an impact on the organization and the coaching staff realizes he is worth one of the last roster spots. If he does in fact stay on the roster, he still has quite a bit of work left to do to beat out Rudolph.
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Steelers quarterback Will Howard greets fans at Steelers Training Camp in Latrobe, PA in 2025.
The hope in Pittsburgh is that one of these guys can become the franchise QB that the team is looking for, but Pittsburgh will not hesitate to look elsewhere for answers.
Steelers Are Not Completely Moving On From Howard Just Yet
If Howard wants any sort of last chance to make an impact, he has to do all the right things come training camp (and the preseason). The young quarterback from Ohio State has to limit turnovers while finding ways to move the offense consistently, and really prove to the coaching staff that he is worth a spot. Howard has loads of potential and can hurt you in many ways. He has shown he is capable of being efficient not only through the air, but also on the ground, by scrambling and making defenses pay when he takes off.
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Steelers' Will Howard warms up prior to a home game against the Green Bay Packers in 2025.
While Howard might not have had the chance to prove he is a winner in the NFL just yet, he still brings a winning pedigree from college. In his lone season at Ohio State, the young quarterback won a national championship and proved he is capable of leading a team in the playoffs. Howard needs to show these flashes if he wants to stay on the roster and really needs to hope for instant impact when the chance comes for him.
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