Steelers Rookie Will Howard Shares Motivation With Next Generation

Downington West just so happens to be Howard's alma mater, and he carved out a successful career at the school. He won the Maxwell Football Club Pennsylvania Player of the Year as a senior after accumulating 2,543 passing yards and 27 touchdowns. All in all, Howard closed out his tenure there with 5,308 yards through the air and 512 on the ground while scoring a combined 69 touchdowns.

Rated as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports, Howard signed with Kansas State and began his collegiate career in 2020. He sat behind current Steelers teammate Skylar Thompson during his first two years with the program, though he'd appear in 19 games between the 2022 and 2023 campaigns. Over that stretch, Howard threw for 4,276 yards, 39 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

He transferred to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility in 2024. He helped lead the Buckeyes to their first national title since 2014 by posting a Big Ten-leading 73.0 percent completion rate, 4,010 yards and 25 touchdowns across 16 total contests.

Pittsburgh went on to select Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He's appeared to have left a strong first impression on the organization, and while it's incredibly unlikely that he'll see the field ahead of either Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph during the regular season, he's in position to develop as a rookie and perhaps enter the conversation as the team's starter in 2026 and beyond.