Insider Shuts Down Steelers Starting Will Howard

One insider believes the Pittsburgh Steelers will not use Howard as a starter this year.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback crisis once again. With Aaron Rodgers no longer under contract and no sure thing at quarterback, the Steelers have no standout at the position, with just over a month until the NFL draft.

One possible option is the 2025 NFL Draft: a 6th-round selection by the Steelers of the 2025 National Champion, Will Howard. Howard joined the team last training camp, and has yet to log a regular season snap in the NFL.

Now, insider Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes there is little chance Howard will be the Steelers' choice for the coming year. Fittipaldo took to 93.7 The Fan to issue his thoughts, and warned the Steelers from going all-in on Howard.

"You could be all in on a guy but not have him be your day-one starter. So I think you wouldn't want to put that pressure on him, so you would have a Mason Rudolph or another veteran to be that placeholder. Like, similar to what you did with Kenny Pickett.. You let him sit there and learn. And then when he's ready, that might be October, that might be January. But whenever he's ready, you give him the keys," Fittipaldo said. "I do not see them handing over the keys to him, having him be a day-one starter... I just don't think that's gonna happen."

Do The Steelers Believe That?

The team does not necessarily share the exact same sentiment publicly, with general manager Omar Khan standing behind his quarterback during an interview at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

"We mentioned Aaron, but we all agree that we're looking for that next franchise guy," Khan said. "We're not there yet, and we may have the guy on the roster, we don't know, in Will, and we're excited to work with Will."

With that in mind, the Steelers' plans for Howard seem unclear. Howard is more than likely going to be under contract for the coming season, but his role is certainly not defined for the coming year.

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) and Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers (14) talk at mid-field after the game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The national champion passer was picked in the sixth round despite good statistics, which would lead to doubts on his skill due to how talented the team around him was in his final collegiate season. It will likely be quite unclear whether Howard will have a shot at starting until much closer to the regular season, certainly after the draft happens.

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