Will Howard hasn’t hidden his excitement since becoming a Pittsburgh Steeler. This week, he took the field with the rest of the team as the Steelers underwent their first session of Organized Team Activities (OTAs). Speaking after practice on Thursday, Howard was asked about the Steelers’ quarterback room.
And specifically his experience with Mason Rudolph so far.
“He’s been awesome,” Howard said of his new teammate via The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I think the vibe in the quarterback room is really cool. Super good dude, super welcoming. I obviously have a really good relationship with Skylar [Thompson] already. And then meeting Mason, like, I knew we’d hit it off. He’s helped me a lot, and I look forward to continue working with him.”
Howard, like any rookie, is finding it difficult to adjust to the NFL. Fortunately, it sounds like he’s entering a quarterback room with a lot of camaraderie. Of course, Howard knows Skylar Thompson well. Howard spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Kansas State, where he and Thompson were teammates for two years.
Now, they find themselves with Mason Rudolph, who has just about seen it all during his time in the league. Rudolph’s been the starter, the backup, and third string all at different times with the Steelers. He most recently played in Tennessee, where things didn’t go swimmingly. Now Rudolph is back in Pittsburgh.
It’s always good to hear this camaraderie, but given Rudolph’s history in Pittsburgh, it’s certainly interesting to hear. There was once a time when Rudolph was a young quarterback, at the same time Ben Roethlisberger was still on the roster. Rudolph has opened up about the relationship he had with Roethlisberger in the past. He hasn’t described that relationship as being a bad one but has noted that the two “weren’t close.”
With that in mind, it’s encouraging to hear that Rudolph is already being so helpful to Howard. Some veterans don’t think it’s their responsibility to help younger players grow. Rudolph does not seem to be of that group. Earlier this week, he had a lot of praise for Howard.
Regardless, the position as a whole could still see some change. Aaron Rodgers has been rumored to sign with the team for months now. Kirk Cousins’ name has floated as an option as well. No matter who comes in, though, there seems to at least be a good vibe between Rudolph, Howard, and Thompson.
