Steelers Coach Gives Promising Will Howard Update

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers took a gamble on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting a national championship winning quarterback in Will Howard. Howard had led the Ohio State Buckeyes to their first national championship in ten seasons.

Despite winning the national championship at the helm of the team, Howard fell to the 185th pick of the draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard — Pittsburgh Steeler

Will Howard in Best Shape Since Draft

Howard looked good in limited snaps in training camp before suffering an injury that kept him out of all of the preseason games as well as putting him on injured reserve up to this point in time. Now, quarterbacks coach Tom Arth has expressed how he has seen Howard progress as of late, giving encouraging signs for Howard's future as both and NFL player and a Pittsburgh Steeler.

"Will [Howard] has handled the injury as a professional, just as we would expect him to. Really appreciative of our athletic training staff, our strength and conditioning staff. They've done a fantastic job working with Will," Arth said. "I think he's in great shape right now. He's been in as good a shape as he's been since he's been a Pittsburgh Steeler."

Howard is now eligible to be elevated from injured reserve due to spending the first four weeks with the designation. There has not been any serious news about his return as of late, and it is unclear when he will make his return.

It may have to be sooner rather than later, however, as Howard is not the only quarterback currently on injured reserve for the team. Skylar Thompson has spent much of the beginning of the season on IR, making the Steelers run with just two quarterbacks since Week 2. If either Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph go down with some sort of injury, it is possible that Howard may hastily be elevated to the active roster.

Jul 24, 2025; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) participates in drills during training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Howard was a top quarterback in college while at Ohio State, passing for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns to only ten interceptions in his final season at Ohio State. He begun his career at Kansas State before transferring ahead of the 2024 collegiate season.

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