The Pittsburgh Steelers have received criticism from draft experts for not selecting a quarterback before the sixth round in the 2025 NFL Draft. Former signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger, though, had a different take on the newest episode of his Footbahlin Podcast — Ohio State’s Will Howard could be Pittsburgh’s future behind center.
That’s the attitude Roethlisberger encouraged Howard to have when the retired quarterback offered the rookie advice Tuesday.
“He should come in here with the mindset of this is my job,” Roethlisberger said. “I wanna be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the next 15, 18, 20 years. That should be his mentality.”
The Steelers selected Howard at No. 185 overall in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He will join a Pittsburgh offseason roster that has Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson as the only other signal-callers on the team’s quarterback depth chart.
How Will Howard Should Approach His Rookie Season According to Ben Roethlisberger
While “Big Ben” encouraged Howard to have a very confident attitude immediately upon arriving with the Steelers, Roethlisberger clarified that Howard has a tightrope to balance.
According to Roethlisberger, Howard should see himself as Pittsburgh’s future while not disrespecting the veteran quarterbacks already in the locker room. By the summer, that could include four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
The former Steelers quarterback then said hard work in practice will eventually lead to Howard getting his opportunity.
“It’ll naturally unfold itself if you’re out here preparing yourself and you’re not trying to undermine the starter and cut his legs out,” said Roethlisberger.
“Big Ben” came to Pittsburgh as a first-round pick in 2004, and the Steelers clearly viewed him as their future starter. Heading into 2025, the organization seems to see Howard as a developmental project.
But the Steelers didn’t thrust Roethlisberger into the starting lineup as a rookie. In that way, the two signal-callers could have similar rookie training camp and preseason experiences.
By Week 3 of his rookie season, though, Roethlisberger became the team’s starter because of an injury to Tommy Maddox.
Steelers Rookie QB Will Sit Behind Aaron Rodgers?
The media criticism behind Pittsburgh’s decision not to take a quarterback earlier in the draft was due to the fact the team doesn’t have a clear starter on the roster.
The Steelers, though, appear confident Rodgers will eventually sign.
“We’re still kind of getting the same signals we’ve been getting recently that he does want to come here,” team president Art Rooney II said before the second round. “I do think we may get word soon.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that Rodgers wouldn’t impact the team’s draft strategy. Some pundits argued that he did, but it’s just as probable the Steelers didn’t select a signal-caller before the sixth round because they didn’t like the quarterbacks available before that point in the draft.
Also, a lot of draft analysts expected Howard to go off the board earlier. ESPN’s draft rankings rated Howard a fourth-round pick.
The Steelers could have drafted the Ohio State signal-caller in the fourth round. That would have made pundits feel better about the team addressing the position earlier. But instead, the Steelers found value with a fourth-round graded QB (according to ESPN) in the sixth round.
If Rodgers comes to Pittsburgh, Howard won’t have as much of an opportunity to play as a rookie. He could spend the season as the team’s emergency quarterback.
But that doesn’t mean Howard won’t have the chance to develop into Pittsburgh’s eventual starter. If he follows Roethlisberger’s advice, Howard will work hard to prove he’s “the guy.”
