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Steelers quarterback Will Howard explains how he and Ben Roethlisberger's connection started well before he was in Pittsburgh

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Rob Gregson | Last updated May 21, 2025 2:57 PM ET

Will Howard and Ben Roethlisberger have a lot of similarities.

Now, projecting Howard to be anything close to Big Ben would be a tad rich given the level of prospects both were and Ben's Hall of Fame career.

But the two of them have come together in recent weeks, and Will Howard proved that their relationship started before he was ever on the Pittsburgh Steelers...

Will Howard and Big Ben have the same agent

"We actually have the same agent, so we got connected through that," Howard told Kay Adams of the Up and Adams Show. "He's been really good. He's been super supportive of me through this whole process. Throughout now being a Steeler, getting to know him, he's been really helpful for me. He texted me last week, you know, just been a really good mentor. I can see him being a good mentor for me going forward. He's been super nice to me so far."

Howard has a lot of similar qualities to Big Ben. No, he doesn't have the same build or arm, but he's no slouch at 6-4 over and close to 240 pounds with some of the better dual-threat ability of his draft class.

But the biggest similarities come from everything in between the ears. The intangible side of the game is where Howard shines and also, where he wants to model his game after Big Ben...

"They need like a gritty guy. You know, growing up, for me, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was Big Ben," Howard added. And Big Ben, he was that guy. He was Pittsburgh. He was the Steel City, the blue collar, the gritty guy. You know? And I want to be that too. I wanna bring that edge, that energy. And I think I did a pretty good job of it at Ohio State and I like to kind of pride myself on that. And I'm gonna try and bring it to the Steel City."

It goes without saying that if Howard is even half the player that Big Ben was for the Steelers, Pittsburgh will be more than pleased with his tenure in the Black and Gold.