The Pittsburgh Steelers clearly hope that rookie Will Howard having future Corridor of Famer Aaron Rodgers as a mentor will assist the 2025 sixth-round draft decide turn into a quarterback able to successful regular-season video games as quickly as subsequent yr.
Throughout an look on the “Breakfast With Benz” podcast, Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth revealed how Howard has impressed members of the employees this summer season.
“He is a really sensible participant, a really assured participant, and he pertains to his teammates effectively,” Arth stated about Howard, as shared by Jeremy Pike of Steelers Depot. “The second’s by no means too large for him. He has the power to simply step in and be himself and go on the market and execute. What I really like about Will is he performs the sport so effectively from the pocket. He sees it, he is so snug within the pocket, strikes rather well within the pocket right here. He is a really correct passer.”
Numerous stories main as much as the 2025 NFL Draft linked Pittsburgh with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Some analysts then criticized the Steelers for passing on Sanders a number of occasions earlier than the Cleveland Browns took him with total decide No. 144.
Ideally, Howard will study life within the NFL whereas spending a red-shirt rookie season beneath Rodgers and longtime backup Mason Rudolph on the depth chart. That stated, Arth sounds assured that Howard may impress onlookers when Pittsburgh opens the preseason with a matchup on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 9.
“We’re excited in regards to the future that he has,” Arth added about Howard. “…We’re very happy with the event that we have seen to date.”
Rodgers has vowed to assist Howard “turn into a greater participant this yr” earlier than the 41-year-old likely rides off into the sundown of retirement. Howard has spent parts of the summer season picking Rodgers’ brain because the veteran prepares to start out Pittsburgh’s Week 1 recreation on the New York Jets on Sept. 7.
“I have been impressed with Will,” Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith stated throughout a Monday interview on Pittsburgh radio station 93.7 The Fan, per Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot. “…He is very mature from the neck up. He is pretty much as good as any younger man when it comes to recall, huddle command. He is nonetheless a rookie. All of them have to regulate to the pace, however Will’s finished a pleasant job.”
One wonders if the Steelers will give Howard a professional alternative to win the QB2 job over Rudolph if the 23-year-old produces some highlight-reel moments at Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium on Saturday.
