Aaron Rodgers has dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason, and he’s not even on the team yet.
He’s not the only quarterback in town. Before the draft, Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson were already on the roster. However, the quarterback room got a little bigger over the weekend, even though it didn’t have to do with Rodgers. Pittsburgh waited just about as long as possible to address the position in the draft. Still, they finally took Will Howard out of Ohio State in the sixth round.
Speaking on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike on Tuesday, Chris Canty suggested that the Steelers should start Howard over Rudolph or Thompson if Rodgers doesn’t sign with the team.
“If Aaron Rodgers isn’t gonna be on that team, it feels like it makes more sense to roll out there with Will Howard, and see what the kid can do,” Canty said. “Let him start… And that way, you can have an informed plan about what’s in your quarterback room before you make your quarterback plan for the 2026 offseason… If you’re gonna lose games with Mason Rudolph and/or Skylar Thompson, it makes more sense to lose games with Will Howard, because you get the information.”
Not everyone thinks Howard will turn into a good NFL quarterback. However, it’s hard to deny that the Steelers got great value in him in the sixth round. Looking at their current quarterback situation, it’s obvious that Howard’s potential playing time in 2025 and beyond relies almost entirely on Aaron Rodgers.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show a couple of weeks ago, Rodgers mentioned that issues in his personal life are behind his reasoning in remaining a free agent despite Pittsburgh’s clear interest. The Steelers wanted an answer from him before the draft, but that clearly hasn’t come yet.
If Rodgers eventually picks the Steelers, which most expect, then Howard will be shoved down the depth chart. While Rodgers would likely only play for one season, the 2026 QB class is an impressive one. As the Steelers aim to select their next franchise QB, next year’s draft in Pittsburgh seems like a good chance to do so.
For Howard, that means any chance of becoming the next franchise QB in Pittsburgh might pass him up. For most sixth-round picks, that’s usually not something they ever get the opportunity to do anyway. Howard is in a unique situation with the Steelers, though.
The Steelers say they’re confident in Rudolph. The franchise will never prioritize tanking over winning, so if Rodgers doesn’t sign, Rudolph would start over Howard.
If things get off to a rough start, though, Howard should get a chance. The argument can be made that he should even be named the opening day starter in that scenario. Rudolph had good moments with the Steelers and is one of the better backups in the league. Yet, the Steelers know exactly what they’re getting with him. Rather than undergoing a mediocre season, it would be a better idea to start Howard. The Steelers could at least get an answer there before making a bigger decision next offseason.
