Steelers Make Will Howard-Carnell Tate a Real Possibility

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers believe they may have a franchise quarterback in second-year Will Howard.

"I will say this. I should have mentioned, we're excited to work with Will (Howard)," general manager Omar Khan said at the NFL Combine. "Coach McCarthy, he's talked about how much he liked Will coming out (of college)... We watched all the practice tape and seen the progression, and there's some exciting stuff to see."

Well, they may be trying to pair him up with his former college wide receiver.

At the 2026 NFL Combine, the Steelers have formally met with Ohio State wideout and expected first-round pick Carnell Tate. Tate spoke glowingly about meeting Mike McCarthy and how well his meeting with Pittsburgh went. Then, he said how great it'd be to reunite with his former QB.

"Will's my guy," Tate said. "All me and Will do is joke around with each other. We call each other, we make fun of each other. So, yeah, it's a great relationship with Will.

"It would be great to catch passes from Will. I've done it before so we'd go out there and continue to laugh and joke with each other."

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) celebrates a touchdown Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, during the Big Ten football championship against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Steelers have a clear interest in wide receiver early in the NFL Draft. Right now, DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek are the only three members of their team who were on the active roster last season. They've shown their interest in names like Tate and Jordyn Tyson, who are viewed as the top two options in the class.

While Tate may be out of reach for the Steelers at pick No. 21, it's not out of the question to move up for him. In fact, he may be one of a very small group of players they actually would make a move for.

Steelers Could Help Howard

If the Steelers truly believe in giving Howard an opportunity, whether that's this season or not, pairing him with Tate won't hurt.

"Me, no questions," Tate said when asked who the best wide receiver in the draft was. "I bring it all to the table. Whatever you need, I got it."

Taking a swing on Tate certainly would get fans excited, and show that the Steelers are truly willing to fix their wide receiver room for the first time in years. But it also gives their hopeful next starter a weapon he's familiar with. A top wideout to pair with another top wideout in DK Metcalf.

And if the Steelers get their hands on Tate, it definitely looks good for the future of Howard.

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