Will Howard is preparing for his first year in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even though Mike Tomlin is reportedly still waiting for Aaron Rodgers, the Ohio State product is already showing the team that he’s ready to compete for the starting quarterback job.
And it appears that he recently gave Tomlin and company a special reason to be considered for the position, which is up for grabs due to Russell Wilson and Justin Fields’ departures in free agency. Rodgers has been the No. 1 candidate to fill in the vacancy, but Howard is already showing the Steelers promising signs.
According to Devin Jackson of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Howard recently reached out to Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth to familiarize himself with the team’s playbook, an attitude that made a great impression on Tomlin’s staff:
“On Sunday, Howard reached out to Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth for plays, according to his mother, much to the delight of the Steelers coaching staff. Arth wrote Will 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.'”
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) carries the ball during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan.
Howard wasn’t selected by the Steelers until the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and it’s safe to say that Rodgers continues to be Pittsburgh’s priority target. Still, the rookie’s willingness to learn and settle in as quickly as possible could make Tomlin change his mind on the QB situation.
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Tomlin already praised Howard’s mentality
Shortly after using the No. 185 pick, Tomlin explained why the Steelers believe in Howard despite having Shedeur Sanders available in previous opportunities. According to the coach, it was Howard’s hard work and resilience with the Buckeyes what impressed him the most.
“How [Howard] responded to that adversity at the end of [Ohio State’s] regular season, and the leadership, and playmaking that he displayed throughout the playoffs was really attractive,” Tomlin said. “It’s really what NFL football is about. There’s going to be some adversity. How you respond to it defines you and your football team, particularly from the quarterback position.”
Howard ready to get to work in Pittsburgh
While Howard will have to prove whether he can carry that mental fortitude from college football to the NFL, his recent communication with the Steelers QBs coach suggests that he’s willing to put in the extra work.
Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II said before the 2025 Draft that any rookie quarterback that joined the team would be seen as a developmental player rather than as a starter, but Howard could defy those expectations.
Even though he understands that he’ll probably run from behind due to his lack of pro experience, Howard has already warned Rodgers and the Steelers that he believes in himself to fight for the job.
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“It’s not a matter of what happens out on the field or if I play right away, it’s about getting better and it’s about learning,” Howard said in April. “And whoever is in the room with me, whoever is there competing with us, I just cannot wait to delve into this situation and to really give my all to this team, because that’s how I do things, man. I don’t do things half in, I go all in, and I have every expectation that this next step with the Pittsburgh Steelers is going to be amazing for me.”
