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The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL, and it was clear that that was the case ever since Justin Fields decided to sign with the New York Jets in free agency. Pittsburgh wanted no part of Russell Wilson, and players like Sam Darnold and Matthew Stafford had no interest in coming to Pittsburgh. Ever since that first week of free agency the organization has been in communication with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he continues to make a decision on his future, while Mason Rudolph is penciled in to be the starter in 2025.
It still seems like Rodgers will be signing in Pittsburgh at some point in the near future, but that didn't stop the organization from drafting a developmental prospect at quarterback. The franchise selected Will Howard in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, but he was expected to go a bit earlier than that. During the pre-draft process it was reported that the team loved Howard, and that is clear now that he is going to be wearing the black and gold to begin his professional career.
If Rodgers does not sign, Howard is probably in one of the better situations that a sixth round quarterback could be in. An unreliable starter in front of him, and an organization that is desperate for hope at quarterback. He has already shown his desire to be great as Pittsburgh's quarterbacks coach Tom Arth had to tell him to take a break right after being drafted, according to an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer written by Devin Jackson.
"On Sunday, Howard reached out to Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth for plays, according to his mother, much to the delight of the Steelers coaching staff." Arth wrote Will back and said, 'Hey, we were going to give you the weekend off, but this is why we drafted you, because it's the kind of worker you are.'"
It is a good sign to see a quarterback already itching to get his hands on the playbook. He wants to get to work right away, which is something he was praised for coming out of Ohio State. He was always a hard worker that elevated the players around him, which is something the organization wants to see him bring to Pittsburgh.
Howard already has some connections within the Steelers organization. Arth recruited Howard out of high school when he was the head coach at Akron. The quarterback wound up choosing to go to Kansas State, but that was a connection that lasted and now the two get to work together again.
The ideal developmental quarterback prospect is Howard. His pedigree is off the charts as he led the Buckeyes to a victory in the National Championship, and he also has plenty of experience as a starter at the college level. He has some mobility, but he doesn't rely on it too much. He should be able to come in a learn quickly, and he could become one of the more reliable backups in the NFL.
Steelers' Will Howard Should Be Hoping Aaron Rodgers Decides Not To Sign
Howard is going to need reps with Pittsburgh in order to get better, and maybe even become the starter one day. If Rodgers does not sign and Rudolph is the starter, there is a very good chance that Howard will be on the field at some point.
More importantly, as the backup he will actually get to take some snaps at practice. If Rodgers were to sign, Howard would be the third quarterback on the depth chart. The third quarterback barely sees the field at practice, which would make it nearly impossible for Howard to develop throughout his rookie year.
More must-reads:
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- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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Commanders have major hang-up preventing them from paying Terry McLaurin what he's due
It’s been two weeks since Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin publicly revealed his trade request, and a resolution doesn’t appear to be in sight. Thanks to ESPN’s John Keim, we’re starting to get more insight into how the Commanders are approaching negotiations…and how they run counter to their star wide receiver’s financial desires. As we’ve assumed all along, the Commanders are wary of giving McLaurin a lucrative contract that would extend well into the player’s 30s. As Keim notes, the Commanders “rely heavily on analytics,” and those numbers aren’t particularly kind to receivers on the wrong side of 30. They may be onto something. Per ESPN Research, over the past five years, only three receivers 31 years or older have played at least 10 games and averaged 70-plus receiving yards per game (that number jumps to six players if you adjust for 60-plus receiving yards). Further, the team can simply point to the NFL landscape, as other teams are also clearly wary of paying aging wideouts. Among the 24 active wide receivers who are attached to the most guaranteed money, only Tyreek Hill was older than 30 when the deal was signed. McLaurin has continually pointed to his lack of mileage despite his age; he barely played during his first two years at Ohio State, meaning he may not have the same wear and tear as similar players his age. McLaurin is also naturally pointing to the stat sheet, as the receiver has continually produced despite uncertain QB play, uncertain ownership and a handful of different coaching staffs. Per Keim, the Commanders don’t want to pay McLaurin based on his past performance, with the front office preferring to shape any future contracts based on his projections for age-31-plus seasons. The organization also doesn’t want to set a new precedent by paying McLaurin, as it could convince future veterans to push for lucrative deals in their 30s. While McLaurin has taken the drastic measure of requesting a trade out of Washington, the organization is still convinced they have leverage in this showdown. After all, the player is still under contract for the 2025 campaign, meaning McLaurin will have to forfeit game checks if he sits out games. The team could even choose to slap him with the franchise tag next offseason (which could come in north of $30M), meaning they’re in full control of the player’s fate moving forward. The team is also skeptical that another suitor is going to willingly pay McLaurin the type of money he’s seeking. Per Keim, there’s doubts around the league about whether another team would be willing to meet the receiver’s demands. Even if a clear suitor does emerge, Keim makes it clear that Washington’s front office won’t give the star away without receiving a haul. We heard recently that McLaurin wasn’t necessarily seeking a deal that matched fellow 2019 draftee D.K. Metcalf‘s deal with the Steelers. However, Keim says Metcalf’s contract has generally served as a guide for McLaurin, but it’s uncertain whether the Commanders wideout is looking to match the AAV ($33M) or total guarantees ($60M). Ultimately, one source believes the Commanders may agree to pay McLaurin a contract that will pay $28M per year. Of course, it’s uncertain if the player would even accept that offer. If that hypothetical maximum offer doesn’t end in a signing, a divorce may be the logical next step.
Rory McIlroy Reveals Why He Didn’t Go To St Jude Championship
Last week, the playoffs for the FedEx Cup officially began. The top seventy players of the season have been selected, and they are now off to the races. The first of four events was the St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. Although it was supposed to have seventy players, there was a notable absence. Rory McIlroy, despite occupying the no. 2 spot in the FedEx rankings, was nowhere to be seen. The decision has led to confusion and criticism. The main question was why he had done it, and now McIlroy has answered that question. Recap On McIlroy And St Jude Fallout Rory McIlroy’s decision has brought him some criticism. Some were calling it disrespectful to the sport and players. People like Johnson Wagner were calling for rule changes to keep such an absence from happening again. He proposed mandatory attendance with wiggle room for emergencies, given that the FedEx Cup has an elimination aspect to it. McIlroy was able to skip the event without any kind of repercussion. Going into the playoffs, he was second in the FedEx Cup rankings, just behind Scottie Scheffler. He was so far ahead of most other players that some people did the math and concluded that he could skip St Jude and the BMW Championship and still be in the race. After the St Jude Championship, McIlroy’s FedEx Cup standing did not change. He remained in second but he will be attending the BMW Championship. McIlroy’s Explanation Ahead of the BMW Championship, Rory McIlroy attended a press conference to answer some questions before the tournament. One of the questions was on his absence from the St Jude Championship, and McIlroy answered that he just needed an extra week off ahead of a very busy schedule. “I just think that extra week off will do me good with the events coming up. Some big events that are important to me—the Irish Open, Wentworth (BMW PGA Championship), obviously the Ryder Cup. I want to try to win my seventh Race to Dubai over in Europe as well. There’s some things that are still important to me that I want to go play in. That was a big part of the reason why I wanted to take that extra week off last week.” During this same conference, McIlroy addressed the need for a rule change after his absence. Mostly questioning if it was even necessary, but ultimately saying that he would support it if need be. McIlroy also pointed out that any rules change would need to keep a lot of people happy, including the media rights partner and the sponsors. Those two like to see big names on the field. Up Next: The BMW Championship Rory McIlroy may have skipped the St Jude Championship, but he’s not skipping the BMW Championship. Nor is he skipping the Ryder Cup, Irish Open, Wentworth, or the Race to Dubai. It was a calculated move, as suspected, but it is for much-needed rest right before McIlroy goes into several big tournaments. McIlroy has nine very busy weeks ahead of him, and he needs to save his strength before each one. For now, though, he is focusing on retaining his position during the BMW Championship this week.
Cowboys fans won't like Jerry Jones' update on Micah Parsons standoff
With the regular season approaching, the Dallas Cowboys should be aiming to extend EDGE Micah Parsons promptly. But they're still in no rush to do that. Parsons is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2025 and has requested a trade. Dallas insists it has no plans to move the 26-year-old pass-rusher but hasn't clarified when it will extend him. Giving him a new deal before the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4 at 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock) seems wise. Dallas owner Jerry Jones, however, said that's not the team's deadline, nor does it need one. "No, not at all," Jones said Wednesday, via Jonah Javad of WFAA-TV in Dallas. "You don't have deadlines when you're playing under contract." Parsons is under contract, but that doesn't mean he must suit up. The EDGE could hold out of regular-season games, like former Cowboys star running back Emmitt Smith did in 1993. The Pro Football Hall of Famer missed the first two games of the season before becoming the league's highest-paid RB at that time. Parsons hasn't said whether he would hold out of regular-season games, but it's apparent he's unhappy with where things stand. "My mouth is closed," Parsons said Wednesday while leaving the practice field in Oxnard, California, via Field Level Media. Jones didn't say if talks with Parsons would resume when the Cowboys return to Texas for their second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. The matchup is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The owner still seems confident Parsons will play on the fifth-year option if Dallas doesn't sign him before the start of the regular season. "Again, all you've got to go on are contracts," Jones said. "We are negotiating for a contract. When you do a contract, you would hope that after a negotiation, that's what both the team and player look to see what our obligations are. I have a lot of respect for the contract." Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb played the last years of their rookie contracts. Perhaps Jones wants Parsons to do the same. Still, that would be silly. Paying the four-time Pro Bowler should be a no-brainer for the Cowboys, so they should stop wasting time and show him the money.
Max Holloway Opens Up About Personal Family Struggle in Heartfelt Message
Former UFC featherweight champion and current lightweight contender Max Holloway does not usually open up about his deeply personal life. While it is well documented that the MMA superstar had a rough upbringing in Waianae, HI, and is not one to hide his past, his current life is mostly kept private. What he shows to the world through his YouTube vlogs and Instagram posts shares an image of a happy family that consists of his wife, Alessa Quizon Holloway, and his son, Rush Holloway. Today, however, Holloway shared some deeply personal news of his family resolving a grueling five-year custody battle over his son, Rush Holloway, against Kaimana Pa'aluhi, Rush's biological mother and Max's ex-wife. The family also shared the emotional moment his wife, Alessa Quizon, legally became Rush’s mother. The former featherweight champion shared the news in a heartfelt Instagram post, revealing the family’s journey through adversity and the joy of finally closing what he claims was a painful chapter in their lives. The Hawaiian fighter, known for his resilience and skill in the cage, compared the legal struggle to his toughest bouts. “Usually I don’t share much about my personal life, but this I want to share,” Holloway wrote. “I just won the hardest fight of my life. It’s been 5 years of dealing with custody battles, and now we finally get to close that difficult chapter.” The Holloway family’s journey has been marked by public moments of tenderness, from Rush comforting his father after a loss to Dustin Poirier in 2019 to celebrating wins together cageside. Holloway’s caption paid tribute to his son’s strength, which read, “I thank my son for being brave and strong through it all. Thank you God. It’s a big win for the Holloways. But more importantly, Rush finally got to choose and keep the mom that he deserves.” The adoption not only solidified their legal ties but also affirmed the deep emotional connection Rush shares with his now-legal mother, Alessa. In Alessa’s Instagram post of the news, she shared her perspective on the family’s triumph. “You never deserved to be neglected and have to pick up those broken pieces on your own,” Alessa wrote, addressing Rush directly. “You never deserved to be heartbroken. You never deserved that kind of love. That’s why I promise to always be there for you.” The couple implied through their respective social media captions that Holloway’s ex-wife and Rush’s biological birth-mother, Kaimana Pa'aluhi, allegedly caused Rush emotional stress through neglect. Pa'aluhi, however, reportedly took to social media to defend herself (Source: @UFCShosh on X) "You may believe you've won. But who truly won here?" she wrote. "Not me. Not you. And certainly not our son." Custody details remain private, as neither Alessa nor Max has addressed the specifics of this case. What is certain, however, is that the Holloway family is glad to put this case to rest.
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