Steelers' Situation With QB Will Howard Takes Unfortunate Turn As Insider Reveals Concerning Truth

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of hype building around their quarterback room. Of course, everyone is curious about what will happen with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has teased the idea of returning for the 2026 season, but until he officially says he is going to play for the Steelers again in 2026, no one is going to fully believe it. The Steelers currently have a quarterback room that includes Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and 2026 NFL Draft pick Drew Allar out of Penn State. The decision to draft Allar 76th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft has reignited the conversation surrounding Pittsburgh’s young quarterback group and the future of the position.

With Allar and Howard set to compete against each other, and uncertainty still surrounding Rodgers’ potential return, Rudolph remains the only established veteran in the room. Steelers' new head coach Mike McCarthy has already spoken positively about Howard, saying he is excited to work with him. McCarthy also turned heads on Thursday when he stated Howard is an NFL starting-caliber QB. Those are some massive words for a QB who was drafted in the sixth round of a weak 2025 QB class.

However, the decision to draft Allar has also raised questions, as it suggests many in the Steelers organization, including McCarthy and General Manager Omar Khan, may have more long-term confidence in Allar than in Howard. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly joined 93.7 The Fan on a Friday afternoon to reveal the concerning truth behind the hype surrounding Howard.

"Maybe nobody else sees him [Will Howard] that way," Kaboly said while speaking on 93.7 The Fan on Friday afternoon. "He is still a sixth-round pick in a weak QB draft. He had a good week of training camp in July and August, and didn’t come back until October. He had very limited reps in practice. I don’t believe the practice stuff they saw in him at all."

When the Steelers elected to draft Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the hope was that he could eventually develop into a reliable backup at some point in his career. Then came the early rumblings about how good Howard looked in camp, but he suffered an unfortunate hand injury right before the preseason, limiting his development.

Still, there have been plenty of reports suggesting Howard looked strong in practice, but Kaboly is not convinced those claims hold much truth.

"Yes, I do," Kaboly said in regards to believing the hype around Howard is not legit. "Aaron Rodgers participated in the majority of those practices, and if you know how those practices are structured, you don’t get many reps for the number two, or especially the number three quarterback."

Now Steelers fans are left waiting to see what Rodgers ultimately decides about his future. 

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If Rodgers does return, it would give both Allar and Howard another opportunity to learn from one of the most experienced quarterbacks of this generation. Howard already spent time being mentored by Rodgers during the 2025 season, and Rodgers reportedly took a real liking to him.

If he comes back, it would be interesting to see how he balances that mentorship role with two young quarterbacks in Allar and Howard competing for long-term positioning in Pittsburgh. Either way, the Steelers’ quarterback picture remains one of the most closely watched storylines heading into the 2026 NFL season.

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