The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation was expected to be resolved by the 2025 NFL Draft. Rather, it made an already strange offseason much more complex. With Mike Tomlin’s quarterback room resembling a preseason cut list, and Aaron Rodgers still in free agency limbo. The Steelers made a surprising move by selecting Will Howard of Ohio State in the sixth round.
The move started a lot of speculations regarding Howard’s future and Rodgers’ potential arrival. But there are also a number of questions being raised as to Rodgers’ readiness or lack thereof to mentor a young QB. Only if Rodgers does land in Pittsburgh. And no one addressed that tension better than Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger.
During a candid episode of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the future Hall of Famer expressed his worries without holding back. Big Ben subtly criticised him during a conversation with co-host Spencer Te’o about the Steelers’ selection of Will Howard. “Would Aaron be willing to help? I don’t know,” Roethlisberger asked aloud, adding, “It’s hard sometimes when you’re a guy that… there’s someone breathing down your neck.” Not only did the line raise eyebrows, but it also sparked questions about his character. On the other hand, Ben praised Will Howard’s size, attitude, and the low-risk upside of a sixth-round QB.
“I like what he’s going to bring. I can’t wait to go see him in person. I’d love to get him on this show. We’d love to sit down here and talk to him and size him up a little bit. He’s a big dude. So I, I just, I think this was a great pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Ben said about Howard. But the underlying message was clear: Would Aaron Rodgers, who was infamously unhappy when the Packers drafted Jordan Love without informing him, be open to coaching a possible successor once more?”
The fact that Rodgers’ well-known dislike of developing the next player backfired in Green Bay still looms large. Rodgers was not happy when Green Bay selected Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft without even informing him. The trust was broken. Over the following few years, Rodgers won MVP awards while engaging in a cold war with the front office. Holding the team captive each offseason, missing OTAs, and making cryptic remarks in interviews.
Rodgers distanced himself from Love instead of mentoring him, which led to the Packers extending his contract in 2022, only to trade him in 2023. And incur a $40 million dead cap penalty. Before taking over, Love spent three years on the bench and made fewer than 100 pass attempts overall. History indicates that Rodgers doesn’t play that role, so Pittsburgh would best reconsider if they believe they can bring him in to coach a young sixth-round pick.
Steelers draft Will Howard with eyes on Aaron Rodgers
It was a late but deliberate move on the part of the Steelers. They added a developmental player with a chip on his shoulder and a resume filled with big-game moments at Ohio State when they selected national champion quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round. But Howard does feel like he can be the Week 1 starter. As he told ESPN, “I don’t do things half in, I go all in. I am eager to get started on this situation and to give this team my all.”
However, Mike Tomlin and Art Rooney II made it clear before the selection that the team was only selecting a player they thought could develop, not a starter. This adds to the intrigue of the Rodgers scenario.
Perhaps to keep Rodgers comfortable, Pittsburgh bet on a Day 3 flier rather than investing premium money on Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart. That strategy provided the Steelers more leverage, not less, as Rooney stated. “If we draft a quarterback — and we still might — probably not someone who’s going to start for us this year. It’s going to be somebody that will be developing and may play down the road. It’s not like somebody that’s going to have a big impact on this season.” Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and now Will Howard make the quarterback room everything but inspiring. That’s all. It’s a group crying out for a veteran.
It’s obvious: Howard will be the understudy if Rodgers signs. Howard might find himself just a heartbeat away from actual snaps if Rodgers starts to walk. He isn’t waiting around to prove himself, in any case. But what if Rodgers shows up? Officially, he is on notice. This time, Big Ben, the front office, and an enthusiastic rookie will all be observing his handling of the pressure and the responsibilities that come with being a mentor.
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