McFadden: Steelers Are Sending A Seriously Bizarre Message To Will Howard

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason was very hectic and it all started when they received news they would be looking for a new head coach. They hired Mike McCarthy in late January to take over as the new head coach for the first time in almost 20 years. One player that McCarthy has been believed to be high on is quarterback Will Howard, even as the franchise awaits the final word from Aaron Rodgers. However, even with McCarthy's apparently high hopes for the future at quarterback with Howard, it appears they are sending some mixed signals following one of their draft picks in 2026.

With the 76th overall selection in the third round of the draft, the Black and Gold selected Drew Allar from Penn State. While the team awaits to see if Rodgers reunites with McCarthy in Pittsburgh, the pick makes for a confusing picture being painted as to who they may look to in 2027 and beyond as their potential long-term signal caller. Former player Bryant McFadden was recently on CBS Sports HQ and mentioned those mixed signals they could be sending to Howard with the selection of Allar.

"This is a very, very tough spot to be in," McFadden said. "Because drafting Drew Allar in the third round actually provides more questions than answers for the Steelers at the quarterback position. Was this Will Howard hype train that we've been hearing through the entire offseason legit? Or was it just some hoopla?"

Howard never did get a chance to see the field in the 2025 season, though he did get to learn for a year under Rodgers at the NFL level. That experience can truly benefit Howard if they do truly believe in him, especially given that Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP. However, the selection of Allar came three rounds before their selection of Howard in 2025, as they took the former Ohio State University quarterback in the sixth round.

It is not uncommon for NFL teams to select quarterbacks late in drafts when you look back at the history of NFL drafts. Tom Brady was selected 199th overall in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brock Purdy was also taken as the last pick of the entire 2022 NFL Draft. The selection of Howard does not truly tell the whole story of how much the organization believes in him, but the pick of Allar definitely seems to contradict things a bit.

Steelers Selecting Allar Adds Competition

It is widely believed that Rodgers will return to the Steel City for at least one more season in 2026 and re-join McCarthy. If that happens, it can add another year for Howard to be mentored by Rodgers, as well as a year for Allar. That part of the situation can be beneficial to the growth and development of both of the young quarterbacks.

However, in the event that Rodgers goes elsewhere or retires, there will be a quarterback competition ahead of the 2026 season. That would then give Allar the chance to impress the Steelers brass and ultimately put Howard on the bench to start the 2026 season. If that happens, then McFadden's comments do make it seem true that the belief in Howard could have just been hoopla. While that all remains to be seen, it makes for great competition while also complicating things.

While the book on Allar is that he has all the physical tools while struggling to come through in big games, Howard has won the big game before. At Ohio State, Howard led the Buckeyes to the 2025 National Championship in his senior season. Both quarterbacks have desirable traits at the position, but they both also come with potential roadblocks to becoming successful NFL quarterbacks. It doesn't hurt the franchise to keep taking swings on trying to find their next long-term answer at the position, but this latest pick certainly sends some mixed signals on where their minds are about the situation.

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