Rookie Will Howard Returns to Steelers Practice

The Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to release Logan Woodside from their practice squad hinted at the fact that one of their injured quarterbacks was nearing a return from the reserve/injured list, and they lent credence to that notion by announcing that they've opened the 21-day practice window for Will Howard ahead of a Week 8 matchup with the Green Bay Packers.

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's Injury

After selecting Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, there was some optimism that he'd play a role for Pittsburgh somewhere down the line, whether it be as the backup or potentially even as the starter if everything panned out.

Howard turned some heads within the organization during rookie minicamp and rebounded from a self-admittedly rough beginning to OTAs to give himself some momentum heading into training camp.

The 24-year-old heated up as camp went on at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. before sustaining somewhat of a freak hand injury on a center exchange just before the preseason commenced.

Howard did not appear in any of Pittsburgh's three exhibition contests, missing out on valuable game reps as a result, and thus was placed on IR in order to open up a 53-man roster spot heading into the regular season.

There was some speculation that the Steelers would consider keeping Howard on IR for the entire season as a means of allowing him to develop and recover at his own rate. The caveat, though, is that Skylar Thompson, who won the team's QB No. 3 job after a strong preseason, was also placed on IR with a hamstring injury after Week 1, essentially opening up a future role for Howard this season.

What Howard's Return Means for Pittsburgh

The timeline for Howard's activation from IR isn't currently known, but just the fact that he's back on the practice field and will get some work in on the South Side is huge news for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh has operated without an emergency No. 3 quarterback since Thompson went down with his injury, with the only other healthy signal caller in the building beyond Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph being Woodside, who was never elevated on game day.

It's incredibly unlikely that Howard's number will be called this year while sitting behind Rodgers and Rudolph, though the quality of his work on the practice field will likely determine whether or not the team does add him to their 53-man roster.

Thompson likely isn't that far away from having his own practice window opened either, meaning Pittsburgh could suddenly have an influx of backup quarterbacks ready to rejoin the team.

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