Steelers' Will Howard Is Running Out Of Time As He Faces Harsh Preseason Truth

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the preseason needing answers from one of the most fascinating quarterback rooms in football. Aaron Rodgers is firmly established as the starter, while Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar are competing for their respective places behind him.

Rudolph has experience operating as an NFL backup and has already proven capable of entering games under difficult circumstances. Howard and Allar offer considerably more developmental intrigue, but neither young quarterback has supplied the coaching staff with enough evidence to be trusted in a meaningful regular-season game.

The preseason gives both players an important opportunity to change that perception, although one strong performance will not make the decision for Head Coach Mike McCarthy. During Wednesday's edition of Kaboly + Mack, Mark Kaboly was asked whether Howard could do anything during the preseason to convince McCarthy that he should become Pittsburgh's backup or must be retained on the roster.

"No, I think it's just one step of the process," Kaboly said. "You need to see what he has done all summer and up here in training camp. See what he does next week against the Jets and the following week against the Bills. I think it's more of a process than anything else. We see a couple of good throws here and a couple of good throws there, but we don't know the in-depth stuff behind the scenes, in the quarterback room, how he studies or how well he knows the offense. We don't know that."

Kaboly's point should help control the inevitable reactions surrounding Howard and Allar. Regardless of what either quarterback does during the preseason, the response from Steelers fans will probably swing aggressively in one direction. There will be almost no middle ground.

If Howard performs well, those who already believe in his upside will view him as Pittsburgh's future. If he struggles, others will declare that his opportunity has disappeared. Neither conclusion would fairly represent a developmental quarterback navigating his second coaching staff and offensive system in two NFL seasons.

Howard lost most of his rookie preseason to injury. McCarthy then replaced former Head Coach Mike Tomlin, forcing Howard to discard much of what he learned under the previous staff and begin again inside a demanding quarterback school. Nothing about that situation is particularly fair, but fairness rarely protects a sixth-round quarterback who was drafted by a different regime.

Pittsburgh needs Howard to outperform Allar and demonstrate that he can make NFL decisions during an actual game. Impressive throws will help, but McCarthy must also see command of the offense, protection recognition, poise under pressure and the ability to avoid mistakes that could lose a game. Even an exceptional preseason may not be enough to remove Rudolph from the second spot.

"The thing is, it's a big process," Kaboly said. "To me, it's going to be Mason [Rudolph] at number two regardless because I don't think they can go in trusting what they have seen from [Will Howard] in such a short period of time."

Kaboly's assessment makes sense. Pittsburgh is approaching 2026 as an all-in season with a 42-year-old starting quarterback. The organization cannot afford to place its championship hopes in the hands of an unproven backup merely because he produces several exciting exhibition plays.

However, three exceptional performances from Howard should at least make Pittsburgh reconsider its options. If he displays command, outperforms Allar and proves capable of managing an NFL offense, the Steelers could explore Rudolph's trade market and move forward with the younger quarterback.

Steelers Must Protect Will Howard's Development

Keeping all four quarterbacks would still represent responsible development rather than an unnecessary roster luxury. Howard has not received enough uninterrupted football for the organization to determine his ceiling, while Allar is only beginning his own journey under McCarthy.

Pittsburgh may eventually need to choose between them, but that decision should not be rushed because of one crowded roster. Giving McCarthy a full season to evaluate both quarterbacks could provide valuable clarity before Rodgers retires and the franchise confronts another uncertain offseason.

Howard is running out of time to influence Pittsburgh's immediate hierarchy, but he has not run out of opportunities to secure his future. A strong preseason probably will not make him QB2. It can prove that he deserves to remain in the Steel City long enough for McCarthy to discover exactly what he can become.

Please feel free to share your Steelers takes and thoughts with me on X (@anthonyghalkias) and consider following for more Steelers-related content and discussion. I'm always open to hearing different perspectives, breaking down games, and talking all things Pittsburgh football.

#SteelerNation