A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for May 17.
JOHNSON, HOWARD TAKE IN NFLPA ROOKIE PREMIERE
Things are moving fast and furious for the 2025 NFL Draft rookie class. With rookie minicamps in the rearview mirror and some downtime across the league before the start of Organized Team Activities across the league, the NFL Players Association hosted its annual NFLPA Rookie Premiere event.
Steelers rookies Kaleb Johnson and Will Howard were among 42 rookies across the league that participated in the three-day event that educated the rookies on the business side of football, while they also get photos taken for their first rookie cards.
Friday night, Johnson and Howard had their jersey unveils, and the two were captured behind the scenes of the event.
“What’s up, y’all? Say what’s up, Steelers Nation. We out here, me and Will Howard, we out here,” Johnson said in the video, according to the NFLPA X account.
“Yes, sir! Steelers Nation, let’s go, man!” Howard said before flashing his jersey to the camera.
Johnson will wear No. 20 this season, while Howard will wear No. 18 for the Steelers.
PICTURE DAY FOR THE ROOKIES
As part of the introduction to the organization and the fanbase, members of the Steelers’ rookie class were outfitted in Steelers gear and spent a day in the studio, taking pictures in the latest line of gear for the Steelers.
Derrick Harmon, Kaleb Johnson, Jack Sawyer, Yahya Black, Will Howard, Carson Bruener and Donte Kent all had their photos taken, which the Steelers posted to Steelers.com.
It was a chance for the rookies to show off their personalities and have photos taken in gear representing their new teams. And it makes for a nice marketing ploy by the team to utilize the interest in the rookie class to potentially help push product.
WILL HOWARD HOSTING YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMP
After being a sixth-round pick of the Steelers in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Ohio State quarterback and national champion Will Howard is already giving back. Howard, who spent one season at Ohio State, is set to host a youth football camp in Pickerington, Ohio.
Howard will host the camp on June 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for boys and girls ages 6-16.
The Steelers’ rookie QB grew up in central Pennsylvania and went on to start 28 games at Kansas State across multiple seasons before transferring to Ohio State for the 2024 season. There, he started 16 games for the Buckeyes and led them to a national championship, putting himself on the NFL map, ultimately landing with the Steelers.
