Unless they’re planning on starting Mason Rudolph, the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a legitimate option at their quarterback position. The rumors for Aaron Rodgers continue to swirl, but until there is confirmation on that end, the Steelers continue to hang in no-man’s land.
In the long run, however, they might have found their guy. If rookie selection Will Howard can develop into the player many expect him to be, then Pittsburgh has its signal caller for the future. In the meantime, he’s already making himself a favorite in the front office.
Will Howard Impresses Pittsburgh Steelers
Going into the draft, there was some debate about the next steps for the Steelers. While they are yet to post a losing season, they have also not won a playoff game in nearly eight years. As a result, a change at quarterback felt necessary, and Rodgers felt like their guy.
However, the four-time MVP is yet to sign an official contract, forcing the team into a precarious position. Rumors of virtually every rookie quarterback, including Shedeur Sanders, made the rounds in the lead-up and during the 2025 NFL Draft.
But the team stood pat till the sixth round, where they took Will Howard out of Ohio State with the 185th overall pick. After pleading on camera seconds before for the Steelers to select him, Howard had his wish come true.
But what endeared him to the team immediately was his commitment. Shortly after the draft, he reached out to the Steelers and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth in particular to start preparing for the league.
According to his mother, Maureen Howard, as she spoke to The Philadelphia Inquirer, “[Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith] wrote [Howard] back and said, ‘Hey, we were going to give you the weekend off, but this is why we drafted you, because it’s the kind of worker you are.'”
READ MORE: Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 Draft Grades
She also added, “Pittsburgh was probably his top choice. Both him and his agent knew that this was just a great landing spot. They’ve loved Will throughout the whole process. He’s loved them. And I just think it’s a great fit in so many ways.”
On his side, Howard was also undoubtedly looking forward to having his name called by the Steelers. Apart from the wishing on camera before his selection, he spoke to the media and said, “The Steelers are an organization I have had a lot of respect for a lot of years.”
“Coming into this process, I was hoping the Steelers would take me because I thought it was a great organization. I am so blessed.”
It might be a while before he takes over the starting reins for Mike Tomlin. But after leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship as a key contributor with 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns to his name, his selection earned the Steelers an A grade from PFSN.
