Steelers' Will Howard Could Be Pittsburgh's Most Adaptable QB: "Fourth [Playbook] In 4 Years"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have started going through Organized Team Activities under an entirely new coaching regime led by Head Coach Mike McCarthy. As several rookies are being given the chance to turn heads, the team will look to find success through new philosophies and hit the reset button heading into the 2026 regular season. Aaron Rodgers is officially back with the team for a second season, and will reunite with his former head coach for the first time since they were together with the Green Bay Packers. He will also have the chance to mentor a couple of younger quarterbacks on the roster.

With the team having not won a playoff game now in nine years, the organization was directly focused on retooling for 2026, rather than trying to rebuild entirely. General Manager Omar Khan did a great job supplying the team with more weapons on offense, which started in the offseason with a trade for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. The team then traded up in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard, to help keep attention off of Pittman and veteran wide receiver DK Metcalf. For McCarthy, who is an offensive-minded coach, getting more weapons ahead of the 2026 season, compared to what they had last year, was a great strategy.

However, looking beyond this season, the organization will need to find its long-term answer at quarterback. Insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday wrote that one young quarterback may be setup for long-term success already. Dulac cites that quarterback Will Howard has been in situations like this before, as he learns a new offense under McCarthy.

"By now, Will Howard should be accustomed to learning a new playbook," Dulac wrote. "After all, Mike McCarthy’s offense is his fourth in four years. He feels Howard is 'wired' for the task."

Howard's college experiences are a big sign of the challenges he has faced in his football career to learn new offenses. He transferred to Ohio State University for the 2024 college football season from Kansas State for his senior season. 

The 2024 season resulted in a college football playoff National Championship for him and the Buckeyes. He was then drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He's yet to take a professional snap outside of practice, but Dulac believes Howard already has what it takes for the long haul.

Steelers Have A Chance To Develop Howard With Rodgers' Leadership

With Rodgers' return to the Black and Gold finally official, the team can now use his experience and leadership to help develop Howard, as well as newly-drafted quarterback Drew Allar. McCarthy has also made his feelings publicly known about the Ohio State product and it appears that he will have a great chance to win the starting job ahead of the 2027 season. For now, he has a great chance to continue to learn behind a 4-time NFL MVP during the 2026 campaign.

Howard dealt with an injury during his rookie season in 2025 and ultimately never saw the field, even in the preseason as mentioned. With Rodgers turning 43 in December, Howard should be able to get a long look at the position in the 2026 preseason, assuming he stays healthy. Considering the praise his new head coach has given him, this gives the second-year quarterback a chance to audition a little bit ahead of the 2027 season for when Rodgers will seemingly decide to be done with his professional football career.

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