Steelers Are Actively Preparing For A Will Howard Failure: "They Are Interested In Adding Another Guy"

The Pittsburgh Steelers used their 2025 on a promising young quarterback in Will Howard. Many fans and pundits have true confidence in the young signal-caller, despite him not taking a single meaningful NFL snap yet. Howard missed the 2025 preseason with a finger injury and spent some time on the IR. He now has one whole NFL season under his belt, at least with its intricacies, and will hope to make it out on the field for some snaps in the preseason later this summer. The Steelers will be able to evaluate their young gunslinger and see if he's worthy of being part of the future in the Steel City. 

The Steelers have been the subject of many rumors about taking a quarterback with one of their mid-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Pittsburgh has hosted several quarterbacks with its top-30 visits, and adding some competition to the room would be an overall positive. The Black and Gold drafting a quarterback could be bad news for Howard, however. Another young signal-caller in the mix could mean that Howard is fighting for his job. The Steelers hosting quite a few of the potential draftees in the South Side means that they could be for real in wanting to draft a young arm to compete with Howard.

On a recent episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, Steelers beat writer Brian Batko spoke about the Steelers doing their homework on the 2026 quarterback draft prospects. 

"I don't think it's just due diligence. I think they are interested in adding another guy with some upside to the mix. And you know that that probably makes sense because I've made this point before, like what if Will Howard just isn't it? This time of year from now, we might have seen him play in the preseason in training camp, and said he just doesn't have it. So, you don't really want to be completely bereft of options," Batko said. 

The Steelers want plenty of options in their quarterback room, as they're still waiting on their starter from 2025, Aaron Rodgers. The team knows that he'll more than likely retire after 2026, if he comes back this upcoming season. Pittsburgh will want plenty of choices at the position going forward. Howard will get a big chance to prove himself in training camp and in the preseason. His future may depend on it. 

Howard has been a huge topic of conversation, now that he'll have a full offseason, and understand the NFL, which could put him at an advantage going into training camp. His performance may dictate his role on the team. He'll more than likely be competing for the third quarterback spot, barring a speculated Mason Rudolph trade or release. From there, he'll be able to show coaches what he can do. 

The Steelers' potential drafting of a quarterback could mean a safety net in case the Howard experiment fails. There shouldn't be that high an expectation of him, as he was just a sixth-round pick, but many saw his potential after he won a College Football Playoff Championship during his time at Ohio State University. Every team passed up on him multiple times, and his stock wasn't huge coming into the draft. So, if he were to be an above-average backup, he would already be worth the investment. However, Pittsburgh hopes for more, but in case that doesn't happen, another young arm could be a good thing. 

The Steelers Hiring Mike McCarthy Is Optimal For Young Quarterbacks

McCarthy has been a head coach known for his ability to get the most out of his quarterbacks, and be a key developer at the position. This would be key in Pittsburgh, ensuring that they can draft and improve the next arm of the future in the Steel City. The 2027 season will be vital for the Steelers' front office, as they'll have to scout a gunslinger for the future. 

The organization hiring McCarthy will prove to be important. It assures them that there will be someone who can help them find a gem and make them better. The future is in good hands in Pittsburgh. 

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