Will Howard Begins Steelers Practice as Backup QB

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are back on the field and working with their full first-team offense for the first time this offseason. After Aaron Rodgers signed, the team is ready to march forward for 2026, but it does bring up questions about the rest of the pecking order at quarterback.

Last season, Rodgers was the starter with Mason Rudolph operating as the backup. Will Howard was the third-string option after returning from Injured Reserve, and Skylar Thompson was the third-stringer beforehand. Thompson ended the year on Injured Reserve.

This year is different. While Rodgers remains QB1, the Steelers are kicking off their OTAs with a new backup quarterback - Will Howard.

Howard took second-team reps during the media observing period of Organized Team Activities. Mason Rudolph was third and rookie Drew Allar was the fourth option. While that could've changed during the closed portion of practice, it appears Howard is starting with a leg up in the backup quarterback battle.

"If I was drafting players that year, he wouldn't have been around in the fifth or sixth round. I valued him higher than that based off Kansas State. I thought he jumpedout of the TV set during the college playoffs," McCarthy said on Howard's potential at the NFL League Meetings. "I mean what is there not to like about the guy. I think he's definitely a real prospect as a starting quarterback. I believed that when he came out. So,you can talk about a strong emote, you can talk about throwing the ball. I think there's a lot of growth with his feet. Thechallenge I see in college football is it’s so scheme-heavy, and they're running these quarterbacks, and their schemes are diverse, so there's not a lot of training in the footwork. You got the best guy that probably has ever done it, Aaron Rodgers. Youlook at the way Aaron throws, just watch his feet. Once the ground floors, you know, explosion, it comes up through his feet, through his hips, into the strong motion. My point is there's room for development, so I think there's a lot to work with. I'm excited. I'm excited to work with him."

The Steelers will host 10 OTA sessions and three days of mandatory minicamp before taking a break. When they return, they'll head to Latrobe for training camp, where Howard will get a real opportunity to earn the QB2 job in his second season.

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