Steelers Get Unexpected Will Howard Injury Development After Bills Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers left their third and final preseason game against the Buffalo Bills with a concerning development involving Will Howard. The second-year quarterback was evaluated by the medical staff at some point during the second half of Pittsburgh's 28-27 loss.

Howard had already completed his scheduled work before Drew Allar took over to begin the third quarter. There was no obvious moment immediately identified as the cause, making the nature and potential severity of the issue unclear after the game.

Steelers insider Mike DeFabo noted that Howard was supposed to speak to the media but now would not be able to because he was being evaluated for an injury. Official word from the Steelers organization is that it's a head injury that Howard is being evaluated for now.

"Steelers QB Will Howard went to the medical staff at some point in the second half and is being evaluated for an injury," DeFabo reported.

His status now becomes one of the most important developments to monitor as Pittsburgh moves toward roster cuts. The timing is particularly uncomfortable because Howard finally completed the preseason experience he was denied as a rookie. A hand injury suffered during training camp in 2025 forced him onto injured reserve and prevented him from appearing in any exhibition games.

Howard returned late in the year but never entered a regular-season contest. That made this summer enormously important for a young quarterback attempting to show Mike McCarthy that he can become a dependable part of Pittsburgh's future. His finale against Buffalo contained both encouraging production and another costly mistake. Howard completed nine of his 15 attempts for 69 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while handling the entire first half.

The evening began exceptionally well. He connected with Germie Bernard for a 13-yard touchdown after Pittsburgh recovered a muffed punt, then found Lake McRee for another score later in the opening quarter. Howard's interception prevented the performance from becoming the clean finish he wanted. Damar Hamlin stepped in front of a pass intended for McRee during the second quarter, giving Howard his third interception over Pittsburgh's final two preseason games.

However, the young quarterback also displayed the command and scoring ability that made his uneven performance against the New York Jets so difficult to evaluate. Howard helped produce two touchdowns after Pittsburgh had been shut out one week earlier.

The Steelers also face a complicated decision involving the structure of their quarterback room. Aaron Rodgers is positioned to start, while Mason Rudolph, Howard and Allar give Pittsburgh four viable candidates for the initial roster. McCarthy and the front office must determine whether retaining all four quarterbacks provides enough value to justify using an extra roster spot. Howard's health could now become an additional variable in that decision, depending entirely on what the evaluation finds. It may even help give Pittsburgh an out by putting him on injured reserve if needed.

Pittsburgh cannot responsibly make assumptions until more information becomes available. Reporting to the medical staff does not automatically mean Howard suffered something serious, and the fact that the evaluation occurred after he had finished playing makes it difficult to connect the concern to any specific snap.

Steelers' Howard Fails To Eliminate Every Concern

Howard entered the finale needing to rebound from two interceptions against the Jets. He did not eliminate every concern, but producing two touchdowns and completing 60 percent of his attempts gave the coaching staff more positive evidence before roster decisions.

Pittsburgh has invested two summers in developing Howard, but his availability has already limited how much the organization can realistically learn about him. The immediate priority is determining what required medical attention and whether Howard will miss practice. If the evaluation produces encouraging news, the focus can return to his performance and place within Pittsburgh's quarterback hierarchy.

How concerned are you about Howard after DeFabo's report, and should his health affect Pittsburgh's decision to keep four quarterbacks? Share your Steelers takes with me on X (@anthonyghalkias), and follow for more Pittsburgh football coverage and discussion. 

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