Former Ohio State football QB Will Howard is on uneasy ground in the NFL with his direct future in question
Former Ohio State QB Will Howard’s job is not safe with the Pittsburgh Steelers. There’s noise around the former Buckeye even being cut.
Will Howard was everything Ohio State needed in the transfer portal two years ago when they were seeking a starting quarterback. Howard helped the Buckeyes capture a National Championship, and upped his draft stock in the process.
The former Buckeye is entering his second NFL season after being a sixth-round pick a year ago. Howard didn’t play in a game as a rookie, spent much of last season on the injured reserve, and isn’t a lock to be on the Steelers roster in 2026.
Will Howard will be in a fight for a roster spot with a former Penn State star involved
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac recently raised an interesting point that he feels it’s possible Howard could be cut to end up on the practice squad. Entering his second NFL season, it’d be a tough development for the former Buckeye.
Ohio State’s 2024 starter is battling for a spot on the Steelers depth chart with former Penn State QB Drew Allar. Allar was a third-round pick by the Steelers last month, and they’re high on the potential upside he brings at the game’s most important position. The two battled it out in college once and now they’re teammates pushing for spots on the depth chart.
Howard is already a bit of a fan favorite in Pittsburgh despite not playing a snap in the NFL yet. The Steelers are still waiting for an answer on whether or not Aaron Rodgers will play in 2026, and his decision will have an impact on what happens with Howard. If Rodgers decided to hang it up and retire, you can count on the 6-foot-5 Howard being on the team.
Another wrinkle is that there’s a new coach in Pittsburgh with Mike McCarthy in and Mike Tomlin out. Howard was a Tomlin guy and doesn’t necessarily have the same connection with the Steelers current head coach. Veteran Mason Rudolph is another quarterback in the room vying for a spot.
Pittsburgh very well could be choosing between Howard and Rudolph when a decision needs to be made. If Rodgers returns to start for one more season, we know the team isn’t cutting Allar after just taking him in the third round. Howard’s spot in Pittsburgh is one to watch when it comes to former Buckeyes in the NFL this fall.