Steelers QB Will Howard hopes to be the next quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger who personifies the position in Pittsburgh. That doesn’t just mean being good at it, either. It’s also about how you play, and what you can take. He believes that he is made up of the right stuff and is ready to show it.
Howard was one of two Steelers rookies to participate in the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere, as quarterbacks tend to do. While there, he participated in an interview with Kay Adams, who asked him about what makes a Steelers quarterback.
“They need a gritty guy. Growing up, for me, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was Big Ben. And Big Ben, he was that guy. He was Pittsburgh. He was the Steel City, the blue collar, the gritty guy”, Will Howard said. “I want to be that, too; I want to bring that edge, that energy. I think I did a pretty good job of it at Ohio State, and I like to pride myself on that. I’m gonna try and bring it to the Steel City”.
Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers have struggled to replace him. They are already guaranteed to open a season with a third different starting quarterback in as many years. That won’t be Howard, but rather Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph.
The Steelers selected Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite helping the Buckeyes win the national title, he fell all the way to the late rounds. Even Pittsburgh passed on him numerous times, despite an evident need at quarterback.
Since then, Howard has adopted the “not when but where” mantra, believing that regardless of how he arrived, he is in the right place with the Steelers. That goes right down to his makeup, with the way he carries himself and how he plays. Of course, that’s all easy to say before you have to play football.
For what it’s worth, Steelers beat writers came away impressed with Howard, the rookie quarterback showing command during rookie minicamp. He prides himself on his leadership abilities, which he also discussed during this interview. At one point, he said of one’s teammates, “They don’t care how much you know until they know you care”.
While hardly unique, Ben Roethlisberger also strongly prioritized his relationship with his offensive linemen and wide receivers. That wasn’t universally true with every teammate he’s ever had, as some pop out of the woodwork. Remember when “Butt Block” Jonathan Scott said the Steelers would have won the Super Bowl in 2010 had Charlie Batch started instead? Hopefully Will Howard doesn’t elicit that kind of reaction from any of his Steelers teammates.
In the meantime, he has to focus on making the most of his opportunities—and making the 53-man roster. While the chances of them not keeping him are probably infinitesimal, he still has to look the part. Given his demeanor, though, I’m not spending much time worrying about that.
