It took some time for it to officially come together, but the dust has settled: Aaron Rodgers is going to be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rodgers wasn’t the only quarterback Pittsburgh added this offseason—it’s a whole new room. Mason Rudolph is back for a second stint, and the club also drafted Will Howard out of Ohio State.
Howard was able to raise his draft stock while with the Buckeyes, where he was able to become a sixth-round pick. He now returns home to Pennsylvania to play for the Steelers in what is a cool story. Pittsburgh will start Aaron Rodgers at quarterback for the 2025 season. Rodgers, an NFL great, has already expressed a desire to help mentor Howard during his time in Pittsburgh.
“I wanna help Will Howard as much as possible,” Rodgers said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show. “If I can help him become a better player, that would be an incredible achievement. He’s such a good kid, and I’m really looking forward to helping him out this season.”
“I wanna help Will Howard as much as possible..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 24, 2025
If I can help him become a better player that would be an incredible achievement..
He’s such a good kid and I’m really looking forward to helping him out this season” @AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/YMxnijQ6OC
Howard passed for over 4,000 yards with the Buckeyes, totaling 35 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. With Mason Rudolph on the roster and signed to be the backup, Howard is likely to have plenty of time to sit, learn the NFL game, and allow things to slow down around him—while observing how Rodgers approaches his craft at the highest level.
Rodgers doesn’t owe Howard anything and isn’t required to mentor him. But his willingness to do so is exactly what you want in an NFL quarterback room.
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