Aaron Rodgers has been very supportive of Will Howard since signing with the Steelers, the rookie showing great appreciation for it. Knowing his time in Pittsburgh will be limited, Rodgers wants to nurture the young quarterback for the future. Last week, the first days of training camp, the future Hall of Famer shared his latest thoughts on Howard.
“I just like his approach”, Rodgers said, via the Steelers’ website. “He cares about it, he works hard, he listens. He’s a good note taker. He’s been picking my brain”. Rodgers reiterated a message he’s previously delivered, which is that he is available for any help Howard asks, but won’t overstep his bounds.
“If he wants to learn anything or pick my brain and be in my pocket, I’m all for it. So, I’m looking forward to growing that friendship”, with Howard, Rodgers added. “But he has all the ability and the talent, and when his time comes, I think he’s going to have a great chance to be a long-term guy in the league”.
The Steelers selected Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Although they spent a great deal of time studying him in the pre-draft process, they didn’t feel the need to reach for him earlier. They even double-dipped along the defensive line before taking Howard, and that was before Aaron Rodgers even signed.
Evidently, Will Howard is the most popular person in Latrobe right now—considerably more so than Rodgers. According to Alex Kozora’s observations, fan reaction for the future Hall of Famer remains lukewarm. For the late-round rookie, however, it appears they anticipate he will be the Steelers’ Tom Brady.
The odds are against Howard having the type of career in any way mirrors that of Aaron Rodgers, but it won’t hurt him to learn from a four-time NFL MVP, either. So far in the early goings of training camp, the rookie has largely held his own, according to Kozora. He even had some success working the Seven Shots drill with a touchdown to his favorite target, TE JJ Galbreath.
While Howard seems destined for third billing this year behind Rodgers and Mason Rudolph, the Steelers are making him earn that third quarterback job. Up to this point, he is splitting snaps with Skylar Thompson. If Howard continues to play as he has, they will probably change that sooner rather than later.
If Will Howard ends up being the next Tom Brady—or even the next Brock Purdy—I’m sure he will credit his formative lessons from Aaron Rodgers. That’s no doubt for some time down the road, though. If he plays this season, it’s likely the Steelers find themselves in a tough spot.
