Pittsburgh Steelers QB Will Howard was just four years old when Aaron Rodgers was drafted in 2005, and he grew up with Rodgers as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Now, with Rodgers a free agent and the expectation that he’ll sign with the Steelers, the two could become teammates. During an appearance on Up & Adams with Kay Adams that was filmed over the weekend at the NFL Rookie Premiere event, Howard said he would love to play with Rodgers, whom he grew up “idolizing.”
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, who knows, that’s all over my head, but I’d love to be in a room and learn from him.”
It would be a cool moment for Howard to wind up playing with one of his childhood heroes and learning from Rodgers. Mason Rudolph talked about Rodgers helping encourage him after a game during his rookie season, and with Rodgers not having a ton of football left at 41 years old, being a mentor to Howard will be an important role if he signs with the Steelers.
Even if the Steelers don’t sign Rodgers, Howard will be behind at least Rudolph on the depth chart. If the team signs Rodgers, it’ll lessen the chance that Howard sees the field during his rookie season, but it doesn’t sound like something that would bother him. Learning from one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history could wind up being beneficial to his development, and Howard already talked about embracing learning from those around him.
With OTAs beginning next week, there’s a chance that Howard and Rodgers are teammates sooner rather than later. The earlier that Rodgers is in the building working with the quarterback room and the offense would be better for the Steelers, but he’s shown that he’s in no rush to make a decision. With both Rudolph and Howard endorsing Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh, it’s a decision that won’t cause tension in the quarterback room.
It could be a great opportunity for Will Howard to play behind and learn from Rodgers, and one that he’ll more than likely take advantage of. It’s a fun story that he could play with someone he grew up a fan of, but more than anything, he’ll view it as a chance to learn and develop as he tries to take the rare path from sixth-round pick to NFL starter.
