Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (hand) remains in line to operate as the team's No. 3 quarterback once he's healthy enough to play. For now, Howard will miss the first four games of the regular season after being placed on injured reserve. However, once Pittsburgh activates him, he should replace Skylar Thompson as the third-string quarterback behind veterans Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. Howard had an impressive senior season at Ohio State as he completed 73 percent of his passes for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while leading the Buckeyes to a national title. Howard didn't get into a preseason game, so Pittsburgh would truly need to have a quarterback emergency for the rookie to play a snap this season. However, plenty of teams have been forced to play or even start their third-string quarterback before, so we can't rule out Howard getting some reps when he's eventually activated in Week 5 or later.
Sep 1, 2025 11:37 PM EST
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard (hand) told the Pat McAfee Show that he is taking an important step in his recovery from a broken bone in his right hand. "I'm back to throwing this week," Howard said on Friday. "So it's feeling good, going in the right direction." Howard suffered the injury to his throwing hand on Aug. 5, knocking him out for most of training camp and the entire preseason. The Steelers placed Howard on Injured Reserve on Thursday, meaning the sixth-round pick from Ohio State is guaranteed to miss at least the first four weeks of the season. Even if Howard returns in 2025, it's doubtful that the 23-year-old will see much action as a rookie (if any). The Steelers are entering the season with Aaron Rodgers as their starter and an experienced backup in Mason Rudolph, leaving Howard in a developmental role.
Aug 30, 2025 7:59 PM EST
The Pittsburgh Steelers placed rookie quarterback Will Howard (hand) on the Reserve/Injured list on Thursday, according to Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. Howard was drafted in the sixth round (185th overall) in April out of Ohio State, but he suffered a fractured bone in his left hand in training camp on Aug. 5 that kept him sidelined for the entire preseason. He will now begin his NFL career in Pittsburgh on IR, which means he won't be eligible to play in the first four games of the season. The good news is that the injury is to Howard's non-throwing hand, so he should be ready to go when he's eligible. When Howard is cleared, he should operate as the team's emergency third signal-caller behind starter Aaron Rodgers and backup Mason Rudolph.
Aug 28, 2025 12:18 PM EST
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (hand) is "moving in the right direction in terms of [achieving] full participation very soon," head coach Mike Tomlin said on Monday. Tomlin added that Howard has met with a hand specialist and received positive news. As a result, the Steelers have altered the quarterback's brace and increased his level of activity in practice. Injury statuses can change by the minute, but for now, it looks like Howard should open the season on Pittsburgh's 53-man roster as the third-string quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. He's off the fantasy football radar for now.
Aug 26, 2025 12:32 AM EST
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard (hand) was unable to suit up in their preseason finale on Thursday against the Carolina Panthers. The Ohio State product missed the entirety of the preseason due to a broken bone in his right hand. While the former sixth-round selection had an opportunity to claim the No. 2 job behind Aaron Rodgers, given that he missed the entire preseason, fantasy managers should expect him to open up as the No. 3 option on the depth chart. In 2024, Howard led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a National Championship. He threw for 4,010 yards with 35:10 TD:INT. His passing yards and passing scores both led the Big Ten. With Howard slated to serve in a depth role in his rookie season, he should only be viewed as a deep league taxi squad stash option in superflex dynasty formats.
Aug 24, 2025 7:11 PM EST
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard suffered a broken finger in practice earlier in the week and will not play in his team's first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. Head coach Mike Tomlin called the rookie quarterback "week-to-week" when speaking to reporters on Wednesday. Howard has been battling with veteran Mason Rudolph to be the backup to Aaron Rodgers to open the season, but the missed time thanks to the injury will make it tough for him to overtake Rudolph.
Aug 7, 2025 8:22 AM EST
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard fractured a small bone in his throwing hand during practice on Tuesday. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Howard is going for additional testing, but he is not expected to need surgery. Much still hinges on what the additional tests reveal but as of now, Howard is only expected to miss around three weeks with the injury. The rookie quarterback out of Ohio State has been battling with veteran Mason Rudolph to open the season as the backup to Aaron Rodgers.
Aug 6, 2025 8:24 AM EST
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard recently gave some thoughts on his new organization. Howard said that the Steelers need a new gritty guy like they had with Ben Roethlisberger. It sounds like Howard wants to be that guy, but it's unclear if he'll get the chance. There has been plenty of speculation throughout the offseason that the Steelers are going to sign Aaron Rodgers. Currently, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and Howard as their quarterback room. They certainly need to add another accomplished quarterback to the mix. Howard has mentioned that he wouldn't mind learning behind Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Sadly, Rodgers is taking an extremely long time to make up his mind on what he wants to do.
May 25, 2025 10:16 AM EST
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