Steelers Rookie Will Howard Makes Direct Statement About Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers still have endless questions to answer when it comes to the team's future at the quarterback position. Will Howard was selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but there's no guarantee that he turns into a decade-long starter. The fan base is currently on edge as the organization awaits an answer from veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers. If the future Hall of Fame quarterback decides to play in the Steel City for at least a season, it could be a great thing for the young Howard, but Mason Rudolph would be in an interesting predicament with a rookie competing for the backup job.

In the modern NFL, it has been proven that an organization that wants to compete consistently needs a franchise-caliber quarterback. The Steelers are currently looking for one, but no one should rule out Howard. He played winning football during his collegiate career, which ended up concluding with a National Championship win for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

It would be incredible for someone like Howard to learn from Rodgers if the veteran does end up playing in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, no one is quite sure what the final decision will be. Howard and his fellow draft mate Jack Sawyer joined Ben Roethlisberger on the most recent episode of the popular podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger. 

The Steelers legend was going through the team's current quarterback situation and commented about Rodgers, stating that everyone is still waiting for him to make a move. Howard quickly jumped in and it seems as if he is antsy to know if the four-time MVP will be in the same locker room as him during his 2025 rookie season.

"Yeah, exactly. I think we all are," Howard said. "Who knows?"

Howard is speaking for the entire fan base when uttering those simple words. Rodgers is 41 years old and clearly doesn’t mind taking all the time in the world to make a decision regarding his football future. It would be nice for the organization, and the entire roster for that matter, to know prior to Organized Team Activities (OTAs) beginning.

The quarterback situation in the Steel City has been murky since Roethlisberger retired. It's not normal for a sixth-round pick to turn into a future Hall of Fame player, especially at the signal-call position, but there will always be hope after the career Tom Brady had. If Rodgers comes to town and is open to mentoring Howard, it could be an extremely beneficial year for the young player.

Howard's extremely rapid response to Roethlisberger bringing it up proves that not many players may have any clue about what Rodgers plans to do. It would be nice to get an answer, and it seems as if that could be the vibe amongst the group of rookies, based on Howard's brief comments on the subject. Overall, it wouldn't be a negative for the sixth-rounder to watch how Rodgers commands a huddle.

As each day goes by, Rodgers is likely nearing a decision. That, however, has been said for months. The hope is that he doesn't wait until just prior to training camp. This would hurt the team overall, but could also shorten the time that the rookie in Howard has to learn from the former Super Bowl champion.

Steelers' Howard Has Experience With Another Quarterback On Pittsburgh's Roster

The forgotten piece to the team's quarterback room is Skylar Thompson. Ironically, he actually hosted Howard for an official visit an Kansas State. The two remained close after being in that room together during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Howard remained there for two more years before transferring to Ohio State for his final season of eligibility. The group in the Steel City will hopefully be completed soon, and by the sound of it, Howard is hoping Rodgers comes to a conclusion.