Steelers Leadership ‘Excited’ To Work With Former National Champion

The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t know who their quarterback will be next season. It could be the league’s oldest player in Aaron Rodgers, who turns 43 in December. It could just as easily be Will Howard, who didn’t play a single snap for them last season.

The Steelers took Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft after he led Ohio State to a national championship. Unfortunately, he lost his entire rookie year to injury after suffering a broken pinky finger on his throwing hand during training camp.

With Rodgers mulling retirement and potentially not returning next season, Pittsburgh is looking forward to working with Howard, who may be in the mix for the team’s starting quarterback job.

“Like all the fans, we’re searching for the next franchise player, the guy who’s gonna be our quarterback for the next 10 or 15 years,” Steelers GM Omar Khan told the media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday. “It might be Will, we don’t know. We’re excited to work with Will, really liked him coming out last year. Unfortunately, he got hurt, didn’t get a chance to see him in the preseason. We watched his progression in practice, and it’s been exciting. I know the new coaching staff, specifically Mike McCarthy, is excited to work with him. Really liked him coming out.”

While Howard didn’t get to play last year, he was still able to learn a lot from Rodgers and being in the building. Hopefully that helps him take a step forward in his development this season.

Time will tell what Khan does at quarterback this year. He has a ton of draft capital, so he may use a pick on another quarterback. He could also try to sign a veteran in free agency if Rodgers doesn’t return.

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