The Pittsburgh Steelers opened up their Organized Team Activities (OTAs) recently, and all eyes have been on the rookie class and the quarterback position. Mason Rudolph has been leading things at quarterback, which was expected. Some believed that veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers might be with the organization prior to OTAs beginning, but that was always a long shot as he waited to sign until after OTAs came to a close. Rudolph was leading the pack of signal-callers in early June, while Skylar Thompson and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard took snaps behind him.
Fans in Pittsburgh are desperate for a little bit of stability at quarterback. This is the second season in a row where the quarterback room is being completely turned over, which makes the future seem bleak. Fans want to see Howard get a shot to compete, but in reality, he was a sixth-round pick for a reason. He had a successful college career that was capped off with a National Championship, but that does not mean he will be a successful starter as a professional. Howard spoke to the media following OTAs on Thursday, where he was asked about his slow start to the offseason programming.
“I’m a rookie, it was my first day,” Howard said. “All I was saying was that on day one, I was maybe just a little slower with my feet and with my reads. It wasn’t like I had a terrible day, I just missed a couple of throws that I normally would have made. Couple of reads that I would want back.”
Howard spoke like this after reports came out after the first day of OTAs stating that he struggled, and the rookie even said it himself that he didn’t have a great day. However, that is expected. He is a rookie that is just getting used to playing football at the professional level, and it is going to take some time to adjust.
Steelers’ Will Howard Already Feeling More Comfortable
Howard also was able to identify what his problems were on the less than stellar day he had. He said he was slow with his feet and his reads weren’t always correct, and those problems go hand-in-hand. Proper footwork usually leads to going through reads in a correct and efficient manner, which would limit the chances of a mistake. Howard spoke more to the media, expressing confidence in himself and his progression.
“As the week went on last week, I felt way more comfortable,” Howard said. “As this week has gone on, I’ve felt a ton more comfortable. It’s a learning process, just got to take things as they come and not get too high, not get too low. Gotta understand that it’s a learning process. I’m a rookie, I know I have a lot to learn, still have a lot to learn. Day one was really the only day I’d want back. Every other day, I’ve felt really good walking off the field. But the thing is, there’s way more to improve on and get better.”
The rookie believes he is taking steps in the right direction, but it is also important that he is able to acknowledge that he has room to grow. He should be striving to become the backup to Rodgers during the 2025 season, but overtaking a veteran like Rudolph is no easy task.
Pittsburgh is going to have to prioritize Howard’s development if the organization wants him to turn into anything moving forward, and that will mean making him the backup. During the season, third-string quarterbacks get essentially zero reps during practices against the starters, and that isn’t going to help Howard at all. The organization already knows what it has in Rudolph, so let him take a back seat while Howard gets some experience under his belt.
