From now make sure when you talk about redemption arcs, Will Howard should be the guy. Coming from Kansas State, he was the most doubted player at Ohio State—even coach Ryan Day was initially hesitant. Yet, Howard seized the opportunity, led the Buckeyes to a national championship, and proved everyone wrong. Fast forward to the draft day; he ended up with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round. Now? The doubts and doubters still persist, but now it’s not his arm that’s under the microscope, but the team’s crowded quarterback room. With Aaron Rodgers potentially starting, Howard’s future hangs in the balance. He’s currently a backup, but let’s not count him out.

Look, despite being drafted in the sixth round, Will Howard’s final season with the Bucks showed undeniable talent. Leading the conference with 4,010 passing yards and tossing 35 touchdowns with a 73% completion rate is enough to judge his caliber. But even with a guaranteed long-term potential, he’s unlikely to start this season. Why? The answer is simple; it all depends on Aaron Rodgers and his next move. And ESPN’s analyst Dan Orlovsky highlights the same on the Rich Eisen Show. “Yeah, well Howard, first of all, it starts with Aaron, right? Everyone knows that. If Aaron’s going to be there, he’s going to be the starting quarterback. If for some reason Aaron’s not going to be there, then it’s really Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. Mason Rudolph’s one of the better backups in the NFL.”

Look, last season, Aaron Rodgers was dealing with multiple injuries, like hamstring, knee, and ankle injuries. And now this season, he is just keeping the Steelers hanging for his final decision. And there are analysts like Ross Tucker who believe he isn’t that much interested in hitting the field this season. “These are the Pittsburgh Steelers, OK?” Tucker said. “And they’re still waiting for this guy to decide if he wants to play. By the way, if a guy’s waiting this long to decide whether or not they want to play, they don’t really want to play.” So, if Rodgers makes up his mind and joins the team, there’s no way they are going to start with Will Howard.

The Steelers believe in Will Howard’s potential, but they’re in no rush. Despite his strong work ethic and impressive playoff performance, he’s unlikely to start in 2025. Pittsburgh plans a patient approach to his development, possibly mindful of Kenny Pickett’s struggles. Pickett, a 2022 first-round pick intended to replace Ben Roethlisberger, never quite lived up to expectations.

To avoid repeating that, Howard will learn from the sidelines. This cautious strategy stems from past experiences. Mitch Trubisky’s early 2022 struggles led to Pickett taking over, but his performance leveled off. Now, with Cleveland, Pickett serves as a cautionary tale. The Steelers aim to nurture Howard’s talent carefully, avoiding the pitfalls of a hasty promotion. Look, no one’s doubting Howard’s caliber; even Dan Orlovsky praised him, “So everyone that you talk to about Will Howard loved the guy—loved the way that his teammates loved him. He obviously got hot at the end of the season. He’s a big, athletic dude with a big arm. You know, you’ve got good perimeter pieces—I think of, obviously, the Jeremiah Smith connection that he had as the playoffs went on, and DK Metcalf and George Pickens.” 

But the catch is, “So he’s a little bit—I want to use the phrase like an ‘afterthought’ right now, because the focus in Pittsburgh, from both—I would imagine—internally and externally, is Aaron Rodgers.” Dan said. And plus, with Mason Rudolph on the team, things might turn his way too if Rodgers doesn’t call dibs at the Steelers.

See, the bottom line is the team needs an experienced player who can deliver impactful plays in the game and develop their rookie QB. However, Howard isn’t missing a single chance to show his capabilities. And it looks like the Steelers are already going crazy over it.

Will Howard is turning heads in Steelers camp

Well, Howard hit the ground running in Pittsburgh. Hours after the Steelers drafted him, he immediately requested the playbook. His mother, Maureen, told the Philadelphia Inquirer he forwent the usual rookie weekend break to start studying. As Devin Jackson reported, “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 [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.’” This proactive approach impressed the coaches.

While Howard’s postseason performance was already impressive, his relentless drive sealed the deal. Coach Mike Tomlin praised Howard’s resilience and leadership during Ohio State’s playoff run, stating, “I think like a lot of people, how he responded to that adversity at the end of their regular season and the leadership and play making that he displayed throughout the Playoffs was really attractive,” Tomlin said. “It’s really what NFL football is about… particularly from the quarterback position.”

The best part is that Will Howard’s approach reminds the Steelers of Najee Harris. Like Harris in his rookie year, Howard’s dedication is evident; he’s a film room fixture. This early commitment has already gained him the quarterbacks’ trust. Pittsburgh appreciates this proactive attitude; not all rookies hit the ground running. His confidence soared, transforming Ohio State’s offense from unreliable to precise during their playoff run. Now, he is making waves on the Steelers’ campus.

But here’s the kicker: all these efforts might go straight down the drain after Dov Kleiman’s update on Aaron Rodgers. Now, we all know that Rodgers might come to the Steelers, but there’s still uncertainty, but as per Kleiman’s X post, there are 81.6% odds of him joining the Steelers as per the Poly Market sports. Following an 11.9% chance of retirement and a 2.5% chance of going to the Minnesota Vikings.

So, if that happens, we all know Will Howard’s not going to see much of the field this season. So, let’s wait and see how his fate turns.