The Pittsburgh Steelers may not know if Aaron Rodgers is coming back, but the coaching staff in Pittsburgh is already making its feelings clear on his potential QB heir. The Steelers’ newly appointed offensive coordinator, Brian Angelichio, who already has experience working with Mike McCarthy in Green Bay, recently shared his take on the Steelers 2025 sixth-round quarterback, Will Howard, and how he has carried himself in the quarterback room.

“I really enjoy Will,” Angelichio said via 93.7 The Fan. “He’s got a great personality. He’s been impressive in the quarterback room. Obviously, we haven’t gone out on the grass with him, but his ability to communicate, articulate, and pick up the scheme has been really impressive.”

According to him, Will Howard has impressed the new Steelers offensive coordinator in his limited interactions so far. However, Angelichio isn’t the only member of the current Steelers coaching staff raving about the Ohio State product, as head coach Mike McCarthy also said that he is “really excited” about Howard and is “anxious to work with him” during his introductory press conference.

These comments from Angelichio and McCarthy certainly hold weight, as the Steelers’ front office drafted Will Howard with big expectations. At Kansas State, Howard first showed signs of his dual-threat abilities as he threw for 5,786 passing yards with 48 touchdowns while adding nearly 1,000 rushing yards with 19 scores. But Howard became a notable name when he had a massive turnaround in his performance after transferring to Ohio State in 2024.

As QB1, Howard’s biggest achievement was leading the Buckeyes to 14 wins and a College Football Playoff National Championship. Howard recorded a 73 percent passing percentage while throwing for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. These performances started with a three-touchdown effort in his first start as a Buckeye, with a 52-6 blowout win over Akron.

He then recorded 319 yards and three scores in a critical late-season win over Oregon, and then continued this form in the CFP. His efforts capped off after setting a title game record with 13 consecutive completions and a 204.8 passer rating in the Buckeyes’ championship win against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Subsequently, Howard was also named the Offensive MVP and proved himself as one of the most sought-after quarterbacks from the 2025 class.

With this college resume and praise from the top brass in the Steelers coaching staff, Will Howard could very well take up the starting role in Pittsburgh, especially with the franchise still waiting for a response from Aaron Rodgers, which, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter, remains a concern.

Adam Schefter is unsure about Aaron Rodgers’ return to the Steelers

While Aaron Rodgers was reported to retire after the 2025 season, his performance led many to believe there’s still some juice left in the four-time MVP. Rodgers had a productive 2025 season with 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions while leading the franchise to a divisional title. Despite the team’s disappointing performance in the playoffs, GM Omar Khan and owner Art Rooney II deemed Rodgers the starter for one more season.

Now, since the end of the season, there hasn’t been any update from Rodgers about his comeback plans ahead of the 2026 season. The 42-year-old has made his priorities clear following his wedding in 2025. Rodgers is currently busy enjoying the offseason with his partner and is in no rush to make any decisions.

Based on these uncertainties, NFL insider Adam Schefter has raised some serious concerns for the Steelers ahead of the 2026 NFL draft.

“So there is no real veteran backup pivot plan in the event that Aaron Rodgers decides that he’s not going to play this year. Again, if he was so convinced that he was coming back, why isn’t it done yet?” Schefter speculated on X.

If Adam Schefter’s concerns about Aaron Rodgers are true and the Steelers don’t have a proven quarterback for the 2026 season, Mike McCarthy and Co. will be left with Will Howard as their QB1.