Steelers Open Door for Will Howard Return

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Aug 7, 2025 5:00 PM ET

While Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard will not play in the team's first preseason game on Saturday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, his long-term outlook is perhaps more promising than originally expected.

During his press conference on Thursday, head coach Mike Tomlin stated that Howard's availability can be characterized as week-to-week, thus keeping the door open for him to potentially play in the Steelers' two other preseason contests this month.

Howard fractured a small bone in his right hand during practice at training camp on Tuesday. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the 23-year-old was expected to miss at least three weeks despite the fact that his injury won't require surgery, though it appears he has a chance to beat that timeline for a return if Tomlin's comments are any indication.

Losing any time to prove himself in the preseason is unfortunate for Howard, as he'll find it tough to get on the field ahead of either Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph once the games start counting.

If the sixth-round pick out of Ohio State can work his way back in time to play against either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 16 or the Carolina Panthers on August 21, however, than both he and the Steelers would chalk it up as a huge win.

Howard was starting to heat up at camp late last week after a rather average first few days at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. Now that his injury should be nothing more than a brief setback, it won't take long for him to get back into the swing of things once his participation ramps up over the remainder of the summer.

As an insurance policy, the Steelers signed veteran signal caller Logan Woodside on Thursday. He spent time under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith with both the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons, and Tomlin didn't shut down the possibility of him playing against the Jaguars on Saturday.

Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are expected to see a vast majority of the reps for the time being, however, as Howard recovers while it's unknown if Rodgers will take any snaps in the preseason.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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