Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers opens up about possible successor

Plenty of uncertainty regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback situation hovers over the franchise in the closing days of winter. 

For starters, 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers has not yet confirmed whether or not he will return to serve as Pittsburgh's QB1 later this year. During a Wednesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Rodgers spoke quite highly of 2025 sixth-round draft pick and possible successor Will Howard.

Aaron Rodgers: Will Howard "has what it takes"

"I'm just gonna talk about one guy that I really poured into this year a lot, and that was incredible to work with, and that's Will Howard," Rodgers told McAfee, per Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. "Will, in general, I think, has what it takes from a personality and a moxie standpoint to have a long career in the league."

Steelers general manager Omar Khan raised some eyebrows when he said during the scouting combine last week that he "wouldn't necessarily classify it as a worst-case scenario" if Rodgers retires this offseason, in part because the Steelers "think highly of" Howard. While some around the league have expressed doubts that Khan and Co. truly believe Howard could develop into a franchise quarterback, a recent report indicated that new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy views the 24-year-old as "a moldable block of clay." 

Howard basically completed a lost rookie season after he suffered a hand injury during training camp and then took no in-game snaps as a rookie. That said, Rodgers suggested that Howard looked like the real deal during summer practices before he went down with his setback. 

Aaron Rodgers is a "big" Will Howard fan

"Anybody who was in Latrobe to watch practice was like, 'Damn, this Will Howard [is] pretty damn good,'" Rodgers continued during the segment. "He was having a really nice camp until he had a fluke injury. Will has the right mindset. He's a very humble guy. He asks a lot of questions. He was in my hip pocket a bunch, and I loved it. I really did. I'm a big Will Howard, not just fan as a human but believer as a player. When his time comes, he's gonna be more than capable of being not just a consistent starter but a guy who can stick in the league for a long, long time."

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio pointed out that Rodgers hinted on Wednesday that he will step away from public life once he retires. Thus, one could assume that the future Hall of Famer will serve as Howard's mentor and as Pittsburgh's starter later this year since he clearly is still open to making appearances on television programs.