Steelers Rookie Will Howard Has Major Opportunity After Injury

Though Aaron Rodgers' fractured left wrist is bad news for both him and the Pittsburgh Steelers even when considering he won't need surgery and thus could play against the Chicago Bears in Week 12, Ben Roethlisberger has found a silver living.

In the latest episode of his "Footbahlin" podcast, Roethlisberger pointed out that rookie quarterback Will Howard now has a path to playing time and thus could give Steelers fans a look into the future should he ever see the field.

"Great news is, Will Howard is available to come in, and you get to have him as your backup. I think Steeler Nation should be excited," Roethlisberger said, per Steelers Depot's Jake Brockhoff. "The only way Will Howard was actually gonna get reps this year, since he got hurt, was either if Aaron got hurt or wasn't playing well... This gives Steeler Nation maybe a quick glimpse into what could be in the future."

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

Chance for Howard to Grow

Howard's first year in the NFL hit a significant snag when he injured his hand on a center exchange during training camp in August, forcing him to miss the entire preseason.

He was placed on the reserve/injured list to begin the regular season as well, and it wasn't until last week that he was officially activated after going through his 21-day practice window.

The 24-year-old hasn't gotten a ton of live reps as a result, and he'd only served as the third-string signal caller behind Rodgers and Mason Rudolph upon stepping back onto the practice field.

Now, though, an opportunity lies ahead for Howard to take some snaps alongside the second team this week and further involve himself within the Steelers' preparations for the time being.

"At least, if nothing else, Will's gonna get practice reps. He's gonna run the scout team, he's gonna be able to run the number two reps in practice. The team's kinda gonna get to see what they have, at least a short glimpse. Maybe this is a good thing for them, now. Then they won't have to worry about drafting a quarterback next year," Roethlisberger said. "Let's give Will another chance, if that's the way you want to go in the future."

Does Howard Have a Chance to Play?

At this point, Howard getting into a regular season contest outside of some potential garbage time snaps somewhere down the road seems incredibly unlikely.

Even if Rodgers weren't to play against the Bears, it would take an additional injury to Rudolph in order for Howard to be put into a game that has any kind of importance.

Though Howard picked up plenty of experience during his collegiate career at Kansas State and Ohio State, he still has room for development and is far from a finished product.

His increased practice reps, especially now with Rodgers being hurt, should go a long way towards helping him make up for the time he lost earlier in the year and potentially set him up for a bigger role in 2026 and beyond should he continue making a positive impression.

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