The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted quarterback Will Howard as a backup plan.
He was the backup plan for a host of Day 2 quarterback prospects. He’ll likely be Mason Rudolph’s backup, should Aaron Rodgers spend the season at home. And if things don’t quite work out in the 2026 NFL Draft, it may be Howard’s job to lose.
But as long as it’s only Rudolph ahead of him on the depth chart, Howard cannot rule out the possibility of playing time.
The Steelers' rookie is hoping to follow one quarterback’s footsteps – Ben Roethlisberger, the passer Pittsburgh hasn’t quite been able to replace.
"They need like a gritty guy," Howard said recently on Up & Adams. "Growing up for me, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and Big Ben. Big Ben was that guy. He was Pittsburgh. He was the Steel City, the blue-collar and gritty guy. And I want to be that, too.
"I want to bring that edge and that energy. I think I did a pretty good job of it at Ohio State, and I kind of like to pride myself on that and I'm gonna try and bring it to the Steel City."
Howard fell to Round 6 in part because of his lack of upside. He’s not an elite athlete, nor is he an extremely talented passer. But he’s responsible with the football, a pain to sack, and willing to be physical in the run game. In Western Pennsylvania, those traits will play.
The Steelers don’t yet know the fate of Rodgers’ free agency (or they’ve agreed not to tell anyone). That leaves Rudolph as the frontrunner to start. However, the veteran is a known quantity, and there is upside in the unknown – even if Howard doesn’t scream superstar.
Pittsburgh’s path out of quarterback purgatory likely includes rolling the dice on cheap passers until one pops. Howard fits that billing, and in the right-tailed outcome in which he becomes a starter, the Steelers would have an immense cap advantage to work with.
Howard doesn’t know if he’ll get a chance to play in 2025. But if he’s going to be the quarterback of Pittsburgh’s future, embodying Roethlisberger’s preparation will be as important as his play style.
