There’s been a lot of hype around quarterback Will Howard with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some pundits have shared such a positive evaluation of the former Ohio State national champion that they have given the impression that Howard could be a future long-term starter behind center in Pittsburgh.
This week, though, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo shared a much more bleak Howard update.
While appearing on Steelers Collective on YouTube on Tuesday, Fittipaldo shared why Howard isn’t in the best spot with the Steelers entering 2026 training camp.
“Will Howard has the benefit of the people in the front office now seeing him for the last 14 to 15 months. So, it’s not a great situation for him because Mike McCarthy came in,” said Fittipaldo, via Steelers Depot’s Jake Brockhoff. “New coach, been on the job, what, five months? Drafted a quarterback in the third round.
“There’s a little window there, where Mike McCarthy has been able to evaluate both Will Howard and Drew Allar. But I don’t think he could feel great about it.”
Howard has an extra year of NFL experience than rookie third-round pick Drew Allar. But that experience doesn’t include any regular season or even preseason snaps. And the practice experience he gained last year was under a different coaching staff.
Not the staff that drafted Allar.
“[Howard’s] got a leg up on the competition. But I don’t think it’s a huge leg.”
Will Howard Doesn’t Have ‘Huge Leg’ Up in Steelers QB Competition
GettyPittsburgh Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo didn’t have a great update for quarterback Will Howard on June 17.
Howard is a sixth-round quarterback entering just his second season. With that in mind, it’s not surprising the signal-caller is battling to keep his roster spot, as Fittipaldo indirectly suggested.
But with the amount of hype around Howard, especially from the team itself, including new head coach Mike McCarthy, it’s going to be disappointing to some Steelers fans that Howard doesn’t have more of a lead in the team’s backup quarterback competition.
Notably, Fittipaldo didn’t specify whether the “leg up” Howard doesn’t have is with Allar or Mason Rudolph. The second-year quarterback is competing with Rudolph for the QB2 role behind Aaron Rodgers this season.
It’s possible Howard might also not be far ahead of Allar either.
Steelers QB Room Entering 2026 NFL Training Camp
GettySecond-year quarterback Will Howard is trying to earn the backup quarterback job behind Aaron Rodgers for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers have four quarterbacks on their offseason roster. All four bring something to the table for the organization. So, there’s a scenario the team keeps all four quarterbacks this August.
But that would be surprising given that most NFL teams only make space for three signal-callers.
Barring an injury, someone is going to be the odd-man out for the Steelers this summer.
Based on Fittipaldo, Howard could be that odd-man out.
He doesn’t have the experience Rudolph has to be a great option as a backup. But on paper, Howard also doesn’t have as much upside as Allar.
If he hasn’t actually made the strides at practice other insiders have suggested over the last few weeks, Howard could easily find himself on the outside looking in this August.
Steelers Insider Delivers Bad News for QB Will Howard