Will Howard is Steelers Biggest Winner of Training Camp: Week 1

The Pittsburgh Steelers sent Will Howard a warning and he responded in a big way.

Jul 30, 2026; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) participates in training camp drills at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers had plenty of winners leaving their first week of training camp, but none bigger than their hopeful future starting quarterback.

On the first day of training camp, head coach Mike McCarthy took all the wind out of Will Howard's sail, making it known that Mason Rudolph would be the player taking reps with the second team during practice while Howard and rookie Drew Allar worked with the third team.

Immediately, it felt like Howard was sent a warning that he didn't play well enough during OTAs and minicamp to remain the team's QB2, and that he needed to change that before it was too late.

Well, he responded.

Howard was easily the most impressive quarterback on the field for the Steelers during the opening week of camp. He found tight windows on numerous occasions and made big plays his thing by the end of the week.

It took a full day of practice, but on the second day at Saint Vincent College, Howard was throwing seam passes between two defenders to Robert Tonyan and Kaden Wetjen, and trying to push the ball down the field more than any other quarterback out there (maybe besides Aaron Rodgers at times).

No one wants to talk about Will Howard, but I still love Will Howard.

Especially when the pads go on, he’s a football player. pic.twitter.com/9szBIMer2Q

— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) July 31, 2026

Steelers QB Battle Isn't Over

There's still a lot of camp left and three preseason games that will likely play an even bigger role in determining the group of quarterbacks the Steelers keep. Howard needs to take advantage of everything in front of him, but he looks ready to do so.

If he does, this competition isn't over. What the opening week of training camp showed us is that the second-year quarterback out of Ohio State is taking steps forward and starting to let the quarterback school work for him. That he's ready to fight to become the backup and keep his trajectory headed in the right direction.

Howard needs to be the backup this season to keep hopes of earning a starting job alive in 2027. The right path for him is to become the second-string this season and earn a starting gig next year. Completing the first step won't be easy, but he's got a shot, especially after the opening week of camp.

Howard is the biggest winner of the week because he put himself on the map as the quarterback who's standing out. That hadn't happened at any moment during OTAs or minicamp.

He needs to keep shining and making plays to surpass Rudolph, but he's gotten the ball rolling. Something Rudolph, or even Allar, couldn't say after the first week of practices.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTube or anywhere you listen!