Why The Steelers Should Turn To Rookie QB Will Howard Now

The gleam of an AFC North title—once so vivid—has rapidly dimmed as the Pittsburgh Steelers stumbled to a bruising 6-6 record. Five defeats in the previous seven have bared the soul of this team for all to see, their vulnerabilities on full display under the brightest of Sunday lights. Week 14 brought new hope however, as a big-time win over the division rival Ravens in Baltimore now have the Black and Gold alone at the top. 

Week 13’s 26-7 implosion against the Buffalo Bills wasn’t just another loss; it was a public autopsy of a proud franchise losing ground by the second. At the heart of the drama: a battered Aaron Rodgers, playing with a (non-throwing) wrist fractured in three separate places, pressed into service and briefly yanked as the offense sputtered in shambolic fashion. A-Rods’ insistence on returning—brace and all—couldn’t halt the slide. Meanwhile, in the shadows, the Cincinnati Bengals surged back to life, stunning Baltimore on Thanksgiving to ignite a new fire in the race for divisional supremacy. The Bengals however, were brought back down to reality in Week 14 by that same Bills squad.

Bengals Still Alive in the AFC North Race 

Online betting sites have long made the Steelers underdogs to win the division, instead favoring the Ravens as they reeled off five straight wins to rally from a 1-5 record before Sunday. Now, however, Joe Burrow's return, inspiring Cincy to a win in Baltimore, has suddenly brought the Bengals back into contention. The latest NFL betting at Bovada odds still make the Ravens the -220 favorites to win the division, with Pittsburgh +280 underdogs and the Bengals surging to +850. 

This perfect storm sets the stage for a bold pivot. As the scent of playoff football drifts further away, head coach Mike Tomlin faces the defining question of Pittsburgh’s season: Is it time to hand the keys to rookie signal-caller Will Howard? The sixth-rounder out of Ohio State—last year’s national champ—waits in the wings. With stakes sky-high, here are four incontrovertible reasons the Steelers must act before it’s too late.

Rodgers’ Injury Vulnerability Exposes Pittsburgh’s Need for Stability

Let the numbers speak: forty-two years old, three fractures in his non-throwing wrist, and a cascade of medical red flags. The media has reported that Rodgers’ hand was so fragile last week that he required a heavy brace just to grip the football, a major problem when scrambling, something he has to do all too often with this offensive line. Still, the four-time MVP’s resolve couldn’t mask reality when a nose injury against Buffalo demanded his removal. Steelers fans watched in disbelief as Mason Rudolph stepped up to the plate… then swiftly tossed an interception, changing the game’s complexion in an instant.

But inspiration won’t win the AFC North, not when every hit threatens catastrophe. Even Rodgers’ fabled pocket presence can’t ward off time. Meanwhile, Will Howard stands ready: young, athletic, and crucially, intact. After missing time with a training camp hand injury, he stormed off IR in November, flashing the same dynamism that drove him to over 900 college rushing yards and 19 TDs without a hint of long-term durability concern. If the Steelers are still planning for anything beyond January, the calculus is simple: bet on the quarterback whose bones are built for both today and tomorrow. With that said however, Rodgers' latest performance on Sunday has quieted critics. So what is the safer bet? The rookie or the vet?

The Offense Is Drained of Imagination—and Points

If football is theater, then the Steelers’ offense has become farce—a litany of stalled drives, predictable play-calling, and missed red zone chances. Seven points against Buffalo. An average of fewer than 20 points across the last four games, down from a season mark of 25.25. Rodgers has been sacked four times since his return and battered behind a faltering offensive line. The malaise stretches beyond any single player—but the solution requires someone who can redraw the boundaries.

Cue Will Howard. In his final college campaign, the college sensation didn’t just win—he electrified. His 68.5% completion rate, 3,730 passing yards, and 27 touchdowns at Ohio State hint at a quarterback who reads the big stage not as a burden, but as a canvas. Pittsburgh needs urgency, unpredictability, and a spark that threatens defenses vertically and horizontally. Howard provides that in spades, as well as a winner's mentality developed on that famous run toward the Natty last term. 

Mason Rudolph Can’t Hold the Line

Mason Rudolph is a classic backup—always prepared, rarely spectacular, too often a footnote. His recent numbers—17 completions, 198 yards, one touchdown, and one pick in Week 12, followed by a 0-for-3, interception-tinged cameo in Buffalo—underscore a career mired in what ifs.

Contrast that with the chorus growing in Pittsburgh’s locker room. Multiple outlets have chronicled Howard’s ascension through the practice ranks, with Mike Tomlin himself lauding the rookie’s calm and command. Forty-four college stars don’t just hint at durability—they promise leadership that can weather a storm. In a year when the margin for error is gone, why gamble on cautious mediocrity?

In a Season Teetering on Collapse, There’s Nothing Left to Lose

This is not crisis hyperbole: the Steelers stand on the precipice. Five defeats in seven have shredded the cushion that once separated them from AFC North chaos. Yet their latest win on Sunday has many once again pausing on Howard's debut. Last week’s loss was so jarring, so emblematic of a meltdown, that any sense of status quo was vaporized. Sometimes, it takes a glimpse into the unknown to spark a revival. Rodgers has once again proved however that maybe waiting just one more week is key.

Handing Howard the offense now is all upside in the eyes of many. If Pittsburgh continues to slide, nothing’s lost except a season already half-gone. But if the rookie brings the locker room to life as he did in Columbus, the Steelers buy hope, accountability, and possibly a head start on the next era at quarterback.

Pittsburgh faces a crossroads, one that will be debated in bars and broadcast booths for weeks to come. But if history proves anything in this city, it’s that boldness—combined with talent—writes the legacy. Will Howard’s moment is here. The future of Steelers football might just depend on the rookie who’s waited for his shot while legends falter before him. More answers should come after the outcome of the Steelers versus Dolphins game next Monday night.

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