Steelers' Mike Tomlin Sets Clear Expectations For Rookie QB Will Howard

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a lot of fans happy when the organization drafted National Champion Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Many draft experts expected him to go higher, so Pittsburgh found some good value in Howard. He doesn't have many expectations set forth for him as a sixth-round quarterback, but he has come into a situation where there is a non-zero chance he will be see the field at some point during the 2025 season. Pittsburgh is still waiting on Aaron Rodgers, but anything could happen at this point.

Howard made his first appearance at rookie minicamp on Friday, and he spoke with the media about his excitement to be in Pittsburgh. 

He was hoping to get drafted to the Steelers, and the weird quarterback situation was probably a big reason why. He won't be the starter to begin the year, but he will be fighting for the back up job, especially if Rodgers ends up signing. Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the media on Saturday, where he was asked about what he is looking for out of Howard.

"Huddle command and communication." Tomlin said. "The ability to regurgitate new information, and by new information I mean information that's new to them. I don't want to underscore how difficult it is to receive some of the verbiage from a play caller and have to regurgitate it to ten others that are waiting for it. Some elementary things, but important things nonetheless. The giving and receiving of information is a central component of leadership at that position."

Rookie quarterbacks typically have issues with the speed of the game when transitioning to the NFL level, as well as controlling huddles and communicating plays to the rest of the offense. 

The best way to slow everything down is to have a great understanding of the playbook, as well as understanding what everyone is doing is around you. Tomlin's goal is for Howard to take a step in the right direction in that regard, which is exactly what rookie minicamp is for.

A quarterback being able to communicate play calls in an efficient is the backbone of offenses across the NFL. Getting out of the huddle quick to properly assess the defense and make any necessary changes is vital, and Tomlin wants to ensure that Howard is able to do that. 

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the quarterback for him being a sixth-round pick. He should be able to make some noise during training camp, whether Rodgers ends up signing or not.

With Rodgers and Rudolph in the quarterback room, Howard will be the most mobile quarterback. That is something that Tomlin has wanted in a player at that position for a while, which makes the idea of Howard seeing the field at some point fairly promising.

Steelers Were Lucky To Land Will Howard

Howard was thought to be a fourth-round pick by most, and some draft experts thought there might be a chance he could sneak into Day 3 of the event. That didn't end up happening, and his slide wasn't talked about much, but it was weird. Howard was a victim of playing for a good college football team that had good wide receivers on it. He was throwing passes to Emeka Egbuka, who was drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jeremiah Smith who is expected to be one of the best wide receiver prospects ever who will be in the 2027 draft class, and Carnell Tate who will be drafted in the first round in 2026. 

The young quarterback was essentially docked for throwing to some of the top talent in the country, even though he played a major role in leading that team to a National Championship. Pittsburgh got lucky with Howard, and hopefully he is able to turn into something that is more than a back up, because the Steelers desperately need it.