Steelers' Will Howard reveals biggest thing he thus far has learned from Aaron Rodgers

Last week, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth generated some headlines when he said that second-year quarterback Will Howard has been "exceeding expectations" during springtime workouts. 

During a Monday appearance on ESPN Radio, Howard touched upon how he has improved his mechanics after he spent his rookie season learning from Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers taught Will Howard to understand that "timing is everything"

"I think one of the biggest things with him that I've learned, just footwork-wise, is timing is everything," Howard said about Rodgers, per Jeremy Pike of Steelers Depot. "Shortening down your feet and making sure you're ready to throw the ball before you think you need to be is one of the things that he taught me last year. I was making good throws, but he is like, 'Hey, maybe take a hitch out or shorten down your feet a little bit and be a little more on time, a little more anticipatory.' I think that's one specific thing. But overall, just the way that he sees the game from the front, back, and the way that he understands the run game and the protections."

The Steelers selected Howard as a developmental quarterback in the sixth round of last year's draft, and he then took no in-game regular-season snaps as a rookie. Assuming it's true that Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy views 2026 third-round choice Drew Allar as a project for the future, Howard should receive an opportunity to compete with veteran Mason Rudolph for Pittsburgh's QB2 job this summer. 

Will Howard expands on the mechanical changes he has made since last year

"I feel like a knock on me coming out of the draft was arm strength and stuff like that," Howard said during a Monday appearance on the FanDuel TV "Up & Adams" program, according to Pike. "That was one thing that I've really just, in the last two years, in the offseason with my quarterback coach, and then now with Coach McCarthy and Coach Arth, one of the things that we've been working on a lot is just keeping my cleats in the ground, utilizing all the ground force that I possibly can. Really just refining my mechanics and shoring some things up, because you can always get better. You can always get your feet a little better. You can always get your motion a little better." 

McCarthy and others associated with the Steelers have seemingly wanted outsiders to know throughout the spring that they truly are high on Howard and think the 24-year-old can be a long-term franchise quarterback. That said, Howard may not have much of a future with the Steelers if McCarthy deems that Rudolph is the best option to serve as Pittsburgh's primary backup this fall.