Will Howard Sends Message After Steelers Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback shared a message after a brutal performance.

Aug 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) looks to pass against the New York Jets during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH -- Will Howard had his opportunity to shine for the Pittsburgh Steelers and couldn't take advantage.

The second-year quarterback threw two interceptions and completed 10 of 15 passes for just 74 yards as the Steelers lost 17-0 against the New York Jets.

It wasn't the night Howard was looking for, and maybe the one that ends his chances of making the Steelers' roster. But he's not stressing out about the situation. As he says, playing quarterback comes with ups and downs, and being able to ride the waves of a game, even when things turn out poorly.

"Listen, I mean, you play quarterback in the NFL, you're going to throw interceptions," Howard said after the game. "I’ve played quarterback my whole life. I've thrown a lot of interceptions. It comes with the game. I feel like I've been through enough and seen enough that getting down after one pick isn't going to help anything. It's all about how you come back. Obviously, you don't want to have a second one, but you got to come back after that. I mean, I think it's just banked reps. I've done it before and been able to bounce back. That gives you, kind of, confidence to — it's intrusive confidence, believing in yourself no matter what.

"I felt support from my teammates. They were patting me on the helmet, [saying] 'We got you.' I got to give a shoutout to them for picking me up, but really I don't blink. It's football. Bad things are going to happen. In a regular-season game, if I was playing the whole game, I'd have to come back in the second half and go win the game. That's the reality of it. Again, learn from, grow from, get better."

Can Howard Turn It Around?

This is a wait-and-see answer. Howard has one more week and a game against the Buffalo Bills to prove he belongs on the roster in 2026. It'll require an even better performance now, but not one that's impossible to come up with.

Howard has the support of his teammates and his coaching staff, but he's not fighting with his back against the wall. Really, the perfect time to prove he's able to fight back as a quarterback.

It's the most important week of his young career. One that will likely decide if he's got a real shot to eventually be a starting quarterback in Pittsburgh, or if he's headed to the practice squad with a lot of uncertainty moving forward.

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