It's no secret the Pittsburgh Steelers have been searching for stability at quarterback ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired. After years of uncertainty, the organization brought in Aaron Rodgers to lead the offense in 2025, but that move is widely viewed as a short-term solution. With Rodgers making it clear 2026 will be his final season, the Steelers still need to identify the quarterback who can lead the franchise into its next chapter under new head coach Mike McCarthy.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks down at his play sheet while he watches practice in street clothes as the team works out during 2025 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
One of the biggest storylines this offseason has been McCarthy's repeated praise for Will Howard. Even though Howard was drafted before McCarthy arrived in Pittsburgh, the head coach has made it clear he is a believer in the young quarterback, even saying he would have selected Howard much earlier than the sixth round if he had been in charge of the Steelers' 2025 draft. Those comments have led many fans to wonder whether McCarthy truly sees potential in Howard or is simply trying to increase his value around the league.
That speculation recently surfaced in a reader Q&A with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where reporter Ray Fittipaldo was asked if McCarthy's comments were nothing more than an attempt to boost Howard's trade value. Fittipaldo did not buy into that idea. Instead, he suggested McCarthy genuinely wants to evaluate Howard within his offense and determine exactly what he has before making any decisions about his future.
"But why did McCarthy say so many positive things about Howard from the time he took the job? I think he genuinely wants to evaluate Howard and see how he works in his offense," Fittipaldo said. "I can't predict Howard will become a starter or even a backup, but this idea that he's trade bait merely because McCarthy did not draft him is overstated in my opinion."
While that does not guarantee Howard will develop into the Steelers' next franchise quarterback, it does suggest the organization may view him as much more than a trade asset. McCarthy's continued confidence in Howard could be a sign that Pittsburgh wants to give the young quarterback every opportunity to prove he belongs in its long-term plans.
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Steelers QB Will Howard during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Obviously, the first thing working against Howard is the fact that he wasn't drafted by McCarthy and was selected in the sixth round. History is not on his side, as very few quarterbacks taken that late develop into long-term starters. Still, that doesn't mean Howard can't eventually become an exception. He has repeatedly expressed confidence in his ability to succeed at the NFL level, and based on McCarthy's comments, it appears the Steelers' head coach genuinely believes Howard has untapped potential as well.
The other factor working against Howard is the presence of rookie QB Drew Allar, whom McCarthy and the current front office selected in the third round. Human nature alone makes it reasonable to believe there could be a subconscious tendency to prioritize the development of a quarterback the current coaching staff personally drafted. Even if McCarthy has no intention of playing favorites, that reality is difficult to ignore when both young quarterbacks are competing for opportunities behind Rodgers.
Steelers Comments Regarding Howard Continue To Carry Tons Of Weight
That is why McCarthy's continued praise of Howard carries so much weight. If he were simply trying to inflate Howard's trade value, it would be easy to move on once camp begins. Instead, he has consistently spoken highly of the young quarterback and continues to emphasize his belief in Howard's ability.
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Steelers' Will Howard walks on the field during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) during the 2026 offseason.
Whether that ultimately leads to a starting job remains to be seen, but it does suggest Howard will receive a legitimate opportunity to prove himself. If he takes advantage of those chances, he could force the Steelers to have a much more difficult quarterback conversation than many expected over the next few seasons.
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