Will Howard might only be a sixth-round rookie for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but don't tell that to the hype train that's been rolling throughout the offseason. The Ohio State product made a strong first impression in minicamps and has only continued to do so throughout the start of training camp. And with the preseason now just over a week away from beginning, Howard might already be doing enough to put veteran quarterback Mason Rudolph's feet over the fire.
Howard impressed Steelers fans right away in training camp, showing poise and control of the offense that's rare for most rookies, much less a Day 3 pick. But the newcomer has continued to build upon that. On Thursday, he really turned heads, completing a 75-yard deep ball touchdown to Roc Thomas, which was then followed by more veteran-level plays — despite not working with the first-team receivers — like a 30-yard dot moving up in the pocket to find Max Hurleman.
It feels like Howard is simply checking boxes with each passing day that he's a member of the Steelers. While Aaron Rodgers is the clear QB1 for this team with a bullet, the backup job might be far less certain, even with Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff's familiarity with the returning veteran. Howard, however, has at least one advantage that Rudolph simply can't match.
And if he's already playing better than Rudolph, too, then it's not inconceivable that Howard could push Rudolph clear off the Steelers roster.
Will Howard putting Mason Rudolph on notice at Steelers training camp
The biggest trump card, beyond training camp performance, that Howard has working in his favor to potentially be Rodgers' backup ahead of Rudolph is the potential for the future. Rudolph is now 30 years old and has wavered in his opportunities to lead Pittsburgh in the past. Howard, meanwhile, is fresh off of his college career and, with a truncated timeline for Rodgers remaining the Steelers' quarterback, there's a world wherein Omar Khan and Tomlin are willing to hand the keys over to Howard.
Rudolph, of course, returned to Pittsburgh this offseason after spending the 2024 season with the Titans following his first six years in the NFL with the Steelers. Over those six seasons, Rudolph played in 21 games and started 13, compiling an 8-4-1 record as the team's QB1 but doing so while averaging just 2,497 yards, 15.4 touchdowns and 8.9 interceptions per 17 games. He's a fine backup, but he's proven that he's not much more than that.
Make no mistake, there's no guarantee that Howard is more than that either. At the same time, the Steelers would be wise to figure that out if he continues on his current trajectory throughout the preseason and the remainder of training camp. He's not only been immediately impressive, but is also seemingly making daily strides and progress to be even better.
If that keeps up, it honestly shouldn't even be a conversation. Howard would instantly be more valuable as Rodgers' backup than Rudolph would be. And frankly, Steelers fans would have to be far more hopeful for the future if Howard immediately earned the backup job, simply because it would at least give some hope or an option for the future. Because without the rookie, we know it's not Rudolph, and there's a question of what Pittsburgh's plan under center would even be once Rodgers retires.