The Pittsburgh Steelers waited longer than some thought they would, but the team drafted a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting Ohio State’s Will Howard. For Howard, it was a dream accomplished, being able to hear your name called and become an NFL player. But for him, it was extra exciting going to the Steelers, the team that Howard said he really wanted to end up with. On the latest episode of Ben Roethlisberger’s Footbahlin podcast, Howard said that “something about” the Steelers organization made him want to end up in Pittsburgh.
“You saw it in the Hey Rookie episode I did, I was begging for the Steelers to pick me. When you’re going through the draft process, you know, especially as a quarterback, there are only a couple of teams that are most likely gonna pick you. Probably a group of ten. But there was something deep inside me that just really, really wanted to be a Steeler,” Howard said.
“I’m just happy to be in my home state. I’m close to Columbus, close to my family…so we’re staying close to home and everyone in the organization. I met with them at the Combine. I met with them before Pro Day. There was something about it that just stuck with me, and I really wanted to be a part of it.”
After Howard met with the Steelers at Ohio State’s Pro Day, he spoke glowingly about it and said he “really liked” head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. That meeting, and the meeting he held with the team at the NFL Combine previously, seemed to stick with Howard, and clearly the Steelers as well. Now, he’ll have the opportunity to join a quarterback room with no long-term established starter and look to prove he can be that guy.
In a clip from the NFL Films docuseries Hey Rookie, Welcome To The NFL, Howard was seen hoping that the Steelers would draft him.
That wasn’t just because the Steelers were a QB-needy team and he wanted to hear his name called. It’s because he wanted to come to Pittsburgh and be a part of the organization.
For the most part, players are excited no matter where they end up. Getting drafted is the culmination of a lifetime of hard work paying off and having a dream realized. However, for Howard, it could be extra special to go to a place that he felt an affinity for and clearly feels is a good place for him to succeed as he begins his NFL journey.
His college head coach, Ryan Day, also praised the organization and said he was pleased that it was where Howard ended up. The Steelers are a premier brand in the NFL, and Mike Tomlin is one of the most well-respected head coaches in the league. The Rooney Family has been a staple of the NFL, and it’s clearly an organization that Howard respects.
While it will be an uphill battle for him to see significant playing time as a rookie, Will Howard seems motivated and excited to be a Steeler, and it’s a selection that’s drawn almost universal praise. Whether or not Howard ends up developing into a starting quarterback for the Steelers, he’s right where he wants to be right now.
