The Pittsburgh Steelers face a dilemma regarding the availability of their star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, for the 2026 NFL season. In light of this situation, former Steelers linebacker James Harrison has offered his honest assessment of the team’s backup quarterback, Will Howard, drawing a comparison with legendary Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.

“It’s going to be a situation where Ben Roethlisberger, when he came in as a rookie. We had a good running game,” said Harrison in a discussion with ESPN’s SportsCenter anchor Kevin Negandhi. “We had a good defense. We’re building to that right now, and all he had to do was go in there and protect the ball. Ben didn’t throw no more than 15-17 times a game…

That’s where we are. And I believe Will can come in there and do exactly what Ben did in his first year, first few years as a rookie. Ben didn’t turn into Ben till well after that because it takes time to learn, understand, and he didn’t have to be rushed to do it because he had a sufficient run game. He had a sufficient defense.”

Ben Roethlisberger spent his entire NFL career playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He retired as a two-time Super Bowl champion (XL and XLIII). Not just that, Roethlisberger was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

However, the former Steelers QB had his struggles in the early years of his career. But due to a standout squad in those years, which featured running backs Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, Roethlisberger comfortably found his rhythm and leveled up his performance.

By the end of his 18-year career, Roethlisberger recorded 64,088 passing yards with 418 touchdowns in 249 regular-season games. Meanwhile, in the postseason matches, he registered 5,972 passing yards and 36 touchdowns in just 23 games played. Steelers legend James Harrison expects a similar output for Will Howard.

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Howard in the sixth round (185th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Howard’s rookie campaign was primarily defined by a focus on development behind veteran Aaron Rodgers and backup Mason Rudolph.

In August 2025, Howard suffered a fractured bone in his right hand during practice. This eventually forced him to miss the entire preseason. Due to the injury, the 24-year-old spent the first 10 weeks of the regular season on injured reserve. Later, in November 2025, he was activated to the 53-man roster.

Although Howard served as the emergency third-string quarterback (QB3) for the remainder of the season, he did not play a snap in any regular-season games in 2025. But given a chance, Harrison believes Howard could do wonders like Roethlisberger for the Steelers.

As things stand, the Steelers have pursued a strategic move around their star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, ahead of the 2026 season.

Steelers put Rodgers under the UFA tender amid Mike McCarthy’s endorsement of Will Howard

Aaron Rodgers is currently a free agent, which means he is not signed with any team. At this stage of his career, the 42-year-old stands with three options. He can either join the Steelers, sign with another team, or choose to retire from the game.

Since Rodgers has not made up his mind yet, the Steelers have taken a strategic step by using the “UFA tender.” This is a rare move in the NFL and is not commonly used by teams. In simple terms, it works like a safety net for the Steelers. It allows them to stay prepared no matter what Rodgers decides to do next, instead of waiting without a backup plan.

“The main thing that the tender gives us is the potential for a comp pick if Aaron would choose to go to another team,” said Steelers owner Art Rooney II. “We don’t expect that, but by the same token, you never know. It’s just something we had an opportunity to protect if needed.”

This move gives the Steelers two main advantages. First, if Rodgers decides to sign with another team, the Steelers may receive a compensatory draft pick in the future. That means they would get something in return instead of losing him for nothing. Second, it creates a kind of deadline for Rodgers. If he does not sign with another team by a certain date in July, then only the Steelers will have the right to negotiate with him. This limits his options later and puts some pressure on him to make a decision sooner.

The reason behind this move is quite simple. The Steelers want Rodgers, but they are not completely sure about his plans. Amid this move to retain the 42-year-old, the team also seems inclined towards starting with Will Howard.

“We’ve talked about quarterbacks for 20 years. It’s all about adding the right people to the room,” said Steelers HC Mike McCarthy on Mad Dog Sports Radio. “Will Howard is someone I’m extremely excited about. I think our short time together, there’s a lot there to work with, and I think he’s going to be definitely a starter in this league.”

The Steelers quarterback room includes Mason Rudolph, who has thrown 4,925 yards in 34 NFL regular-season games, Will Howard, who is yet to play a game for them, and 2026 draft pick Drew Allar. Upon these options, Howard has possibly impressed McCarthy more to gain his confidence as the possible starter for the team.