Will Howard Should Be Ecstatic After Laud From Steelers Great

Many in Pittsburgh are already expressing excitement for rookie quarterback Will Howard.

Former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier was the latest to compliment Howard. But Shazier added a new layer of praise, referencing his Kansas State success as a sign of optimism for the pros.

"I was even telling people before he got drafted, one thing that you can say about Will Howard is he's a winner," Shazier said on The Arthur Moats Experience last Thursday. "I understand he lost two games this year. The one thing a lot of people don't realize about Will before he went to O-State is that he won the Big 12 Championship at Kansas State. That's when Texas and Oklahoma were still in the Big 12. Kansas State ain't got the dogs that Oklahoma and Texas got. But he figured out how to win it."

Shazier was a two-time Pro Bowler in Pittsburgh, anchoring its defensive unit before his disastrous career-ending injury in 2017. While the Steelers have been a defense-first team since his departure, many believe their defense was never the same after Shazier's departure.

Still, his impact in Pittsburgh remains undeniable, and his words to Howard should illustrate the city's confidence in the newest Steeler.

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Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Kansas State Wildcats on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.