Steelers' Will Howard Reveals Why He's Different

The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to find a possible quarterback for the future when they selected Will Howard with their sixth round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Despite his leadership of Ohio State to winning the CFP National Championship, Howard had concerns of his playing ability that led him to fall to the Steelers late on Day 3.

However, Howard believes that he has a trait that helps him stand out among his peers when it comes to football -- adversity. On an appearance on the Footbahlin podcast, run by former Steeler Ben Roethlisberger, Howard spoke on his uniqueness.

“Something I like to hang my hat on is dealing with adversity. I think in my career, at K-State and then at Ohio State this past year, I’ve seen pretty much every situation a quarterback can see,”Howard said. “I started off as a backup, and I got thrown in as a true freshman and didn’t know what I was doing. I got benched, man. I’ve been the third-string quarterback. I’ve been a freaking starter, coming in and winning a championship. And then, you know, having a guy come in and split time with you. I’ve seen almost every situation.”

Howard has certainly been through it all in his career, but this notion is not unique to him within his own draft class. Cam Ward began his career as an unproven prospect at the FCS level, starting his collegiate career as the quarterback for the University of Incarnate Word before transferring to Washington State and finally Miami.

Howard certainly had a harder time finding playing time than some of his peers like Shedeur Sanders and Quinn Ewers, but to claim that this situation would be entirely unique to him would be an understatement on the college careers of his fellow draftees.