The Pittsburgh Steelers do not have a long-term solution at quarterback other than Aaron Rodgers. So, that’s why rookie QB Will Howard carries more weight than the usual sixth-round pick. And rightly, so.

After throwing for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and a national title run at Ohio State, Pittsburgh was eager to see Howard. But a broken pinky in camp put him on IR before a preseason snap, leaving him sidelined alongside Skylar Thompson.

With Mason Rudolph there as the backup, the Steelers can afford patience, though a September 1 video showed him throwing again. And now on Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast, the rookie said the team views this as a developmental year:

“Yeah, I mean that was a big conversation I had with Coach Arthur (offensive coordinator). I knew we have Aaron, like it’s not like I’m being forced to be the starter right away. I got time, and they want this to be a developmental year for me.”

Such a developmental approach will be reasonable based on the existing team structure. The action that the Steelers undertook by putting Howard on IR did not only guarantee the roster position. It also guaranteed them that they would not lose their new signal-caller that they had just drafted.

But the good thing is that Howard is aware this is not the year to cram down into the lineup. “And with me being on IR right now, they came up with kind of a plan of action for me to really stay involved and still treat it like I’m gonna be out there on game day. And I feel like the last two weeks, if I was dressed and I was able to, I felt like I was prepared enough to go in there and play if I needed to.”

Adding on, “And that’s how I’m trying to really attack this year. No matter what position I’m in. If I’m on IR, if I’m the backup, whatever, I want to be attacking the week like I’m the starter.”

The challenge for Howard is that the Steelers already have a strong backup situation. If the Steelers are eliminated late in the year, the coaching staff will want to get a live look at Howard. To gauge how much they’ll need to invest in the quarterback position in the 2026 draft.

Will Howard’s mental battle with the waiting game

In the meantime, the rookie is leaning into the mental reps.

“I think everyone says that when you’re a backup, you want to prepare like you’re the starter. But it’s a little different being a quarterback in the NFL. Like you need to know and understand things at a different level. And so, I’m trying as much as I can to… Aaron’s given me, and the coaches have given me little projects to do.”

But Howard also admitted the injury hit harder because of where he was headed before the setback.

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“Especially this preseason with my guys that we are all rookies and all the young guys that are getting all these reps.”

He had been earning more snaps and building more trust. Creating chances to show he was more than just a long-term developmental project. Now those live reps are gone. And he knows that missing them stings.

The Steelers has even set him up with a Catapult account to track his workload. Making sure his preparation doesn’t slip during his IR stint. That investment reflects the belief the organization has in him. Now the question is how long the wait will be until he finally gets a chance.