While rookies coming into the NFL have the benefit of rookie minicamp after the draft to get their feet under them, entering OTAs can be difficult, as it’s really the first time they get a chance to work with their entire team. For Pittsburgh Steelers rookie QB Will Howard, OTAs were an adjustment, and speaking after Pittsburgh’s third OTA session on Thursday, he said he “didn’t feel great” about how he performed on the team’s first day of OTAs but that he’s gotten more comfortable with each practice.
“First day was a work in progress, I didn’t feel great about my first day just coming off the field, but it was a good learning experience for me. I wasn’t expecting to be perfect on my first day, I’m not gonna be perfect, but that’s the thing. You gotta learn. Especially me being young, you gotta be able to roll with the punches and know that you’re gonna make some mistakes, especially being a rookie,” Howard said via Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show on Twitter.
Howard said he felt his timing was off during Pittsburgh’s first OTA session on Tuesday.
“Just wasn’t really comfortable yet, didn’t really know where my feet were, was a little off timing, and then Day 2 and 3 I think I’ve been a lot better.”
Howard enters the NFL as a sixth-round pick, so there aren’t a ton of weighty expectations on his shoulders. Still, with uncertainty at the quarterback position for the Steelers, there’s been a lot of hype surrounding Howard, but like most rookies, there’s going to be struggles. Howard’s mindset is exactly what you want to see from a young player. He knows he’s going to make mistakes and maybe not always be at his best, but he wants to keep growing and learning, and he said his work ethic is what sets him apart.
That’s the type of thought process that could help him have success in the NFL. He knows he doesn’t have all the answers and that’s he’s going to need to come in and learn and adjust to life in the NFL. Howard not being lights out in OTAs isn’t a big deal in the slightest, but the Ohio State product was able to admit that he didn’t feel like his best and he’s getting better.
The Steelers have three more OTA sessions and mandatory minicamp ahead of training camp, and there will be plenty more opportunities for Will Howard to grow and become more comfortable. It’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows early on, but he’s embracing the growth aspect of being a rookie, and it’s something that should help Howard throughout his career.
