Latest Aaron Rodgers update could spell trouble for Will Howard and his role within the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback room
Aaron Rodgers will be back in Pittsburgh this weekend, and all indications are that he will be the Steelers’ starter in 2026, but what does that mean for Will Howard and his future?
While we don’t know exactly when it will happen, we do know that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers are set to meet together this weekend. The thought is that the Steelers and Rodgers will hash out a contract and the whole UFA tender situation, with the belief that a deal will get done.
So the immediate question becomes, who is the odd man out in Pittsburgh? Rodgers will be the starter, and Mike McCarthy won’t be cutting or trading his third-round pick, Drew Allar, which sets up quite the scenario for Will Howard and Mason Rudolph.
Will Howard Facts
- Played at Kansas State with former Steelers QB Skylar Thompson.
- Transferred to Ohio State, led the Buckeyes to their first national championship in over a decade.
- Drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Could the Steelers cut or trade Will Howard?
The question for the Steelers becomes, do they cut/trade Mason Rudolph, or do they go with Will Howard? There are multiple ways of looking at it. For one, the Steelers staff pledges no allegiance to either quarterback.
Mike McCarthy has never coached Rudolph, and he didn’t draft Will Howard. There were some reports before the draft that the Steelers’ new staff isn’t the highest on Howard, but that felt like it didn’t have much legs because the Steelers don’t know what they have with Will Howard. In fact, no one does because the largest sample size is a few weeks of training camp.
But then came the Drew Allar pick. And the Steelers didn’t just pick Drew Allar, they took him 76th overall, which was viewed as a reach by a lot of people. Pittsburgh obviously doesn’t view it as a reach, however, and we know his and Rodgers’ spots are locked up.
So the question becomes, who would be the better backup?
Should Will Howard or Mason Rudolph be the Steelers’ backup?
Mason Rudolph would obviously be the steadier backup. He’s the veteran who has been in the league since 2018 and played in playoff games. But to me, the three quarterbacks on the Steelers roster when the final 53-man roster is set should be Rodgers, Howard, and Allar.
If the season goes awry to the point that Rodgers misses time, why not see what you have in Howard? We have been there and done that with the Steelers and Rudolph, and that can’t be said of Howard.