When Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers stayed in the locker room for the second half of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Mason Rudolph was thrust into the starting role, and suddenly, Will Howard, who was designated as the emergency third quarterback, was a play away from entering the game.

Fast forward to Tuesday, and while Rodgers is pushing hard to play, his status is up in the air. We know that the Steelers worked out multiple quarterbacks on Tuesday, and Rodgers will not practice on Wednesday, per Mike Tomlin’s weekly presser, via the Steelers YouTube channel.

So that means that Rudolph is up first. But waiting in the wings is the man many have wanted to see since he was drafted after leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship last season. That man is Howard. With the Rodgers injury, many have speculated that his role might increase. Well, Tomlin isn’t saying no.

Will Howard to receive more first-team reps ahead of the Bears game

“He’s been with us the whole time, and so he’s a sharp guy. Like the general trajectory of his work,” said Tomlin when asked if Howard’s reps will increase. “He’s certainly in the position that he’s in, doesn’t get a lot of, quote-unquote, Steeler reps, but the reps that he does get, he is taken advantage of. And I’m sure there’ll be an uptick in those opportunities this week.”

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Howard was arguably the most anticipated player of the Steelers’ preseason before a hand injury of his own thwarted the momentum he had built in training camp, and saw him head towards the injured reserve. A sixth-round pick, he might be a day-three player, but there is a certain moxy, a level of intangibles and competitiveness to his game that screams Steeler. To learn more about that, I spoke with Brandon Little of A to Z Sports Ohio State.

“Howard was exactly the answer the Buckeyes needed when they went searching for a quarterback in the transfer portal two years ago. It wasn’t just his on-field ability — Howard’s professionalism and approach to the game were equally impressive. He didn’t have to fight much for the starting job in Columbus, and he quickly became the kind of player teammates rallied around. The former Ohio State quarterback spent only one year in Columbus, but he’ll forever be beloved by Buckeye Nation for what he helped the team accomplish in that single season.

“Howard’s ability to learn an offense and execute it at a high level stood out at Ohio State. There were things the Buckeyes had to flat-out tell him wouldn’t work in Columbus, but he embraced the coaching and responded well to any criticisms. Howard may not end up as a starting quarterback at the pro level, but the values he brings to the game are what every coach wants. If he’s able to let the game slow down and his arm develops enough during the early years of his career, Howard will have a chance to make things interesting with the Steelers.” – Little

Now, if all goes according to Aaron Rodgers’ plan, this conversation will be moot. But for the time being, Howard is on deck to be the Steelers’ starting quarterback, and that’s something few saw coming in November.

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