Steelers' Will Howard is Doing Everything Possible to Succeed

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Noah Strackbein | Last updated Nov 14, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a young quarterback in Will Howard, but saying that a sixth-round rookie is the future of the franchise is difficult to do. The team likely isn't saying it, and there's a strong argument to make as to why. But Howard is doing everything possible to change that.

The rookie has missed most of the season due to a hand injury that he suffered during training camp. He returned to practice weeks ago and is now back on the 53-man roster, sitting behind Mason Rudolph and Aaron Rodgers.

His time away from the field didn't hurt his development, though. Instead, he's been doing everything he can, and learning from one of the greatest as he's been out.

The Word Doc Method

Howard spoke with media following his activation back to the 53-man roster and revealed that he keeps almost everything Rodgers tells him secure on his computer.

"I literally have like a Word document of just like nuggets that I get from Aaron every day," Howard said. "If there’s something that he tells me or something he says in meetings, I’ll just try to write it down. Just have a little bank of the things that I’m learning."

Rodgers has been known to be a great leader and mentor, so Howard's idea is the right one. After nine weeks, he now gets to do that for the remainder of the season while also learning on the field. If he takes that just as seriously, his chances of succeeding in the NFL certainly increase.

Howard's chances of becoming a franchise quarterback in the NFL weren't high coming into the league. Joining a Pittsburgh roster that still has eyes on the next NFL Draft class, and even the one after that, presents challenges he may never be able to overcome.

But the rookie out of Ohio State is doing everything in his power to give himself a chance. He may have a headstart in any future competition because of it. Learning from Rodgers isn't just another veteran quarterback, it's one of the top 10, maybe 15, greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football.

Rodgers is going into the Hall of Fame the moment he's able to. No questions asked. Which means Howard's first NFL mentor is as good as it can get.

Who knows if Howard ever becomes the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's still a likely chance he won't. But it's hard to deny that he isn't doing everything possible to earn that opportunity, and if he really can learn everything possible from Rodgers, maybe he's got a chance.

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

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