As the Pittsburgh Steelers look toward their next quarterback in the Mike McCarthy era, the original narrative was that Aaron Rodgers would return for another season.
That narrative is slowly shifting. Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, who Pittsburgh drafted in the sixth round last year, is gaining outside hype that may push him toward the top spot.
The latest to laud the 2025 national champion was Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who talked about Howard on his podcast, The Rush.
Maxx Crosby - “I’m a Will Howard believer, I’m not gonna lie,” Crosby said in the Jan. 27 episode. “I think he’s a hell of a player. I think he's got the size, the intangibles, and he’s talented. He’s a smart quarterback. I think Will Howard just sitting there, learning behind Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers, is gonna do that franchise a lot of great things.”
Crosby is a five-time Pro Bowler who has led the league in tackles for loss twice in his career (2022, 2023). He's faced some legendary quarterbacks in his superstar career, so he knows what great signal-callers look like.
And that may be what they're brewing in Pittsburgh. The Steelers selected Howard in the 2025 Draft with the No. 185 overall pick as a backup option to Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. It was a low-risk, high-reward selection that didn't cost the organization a high pick but could still have massive upside if he starts.
Howard spent four seasons at Kansas State, amassing 5,786 passing yards, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions, while rushing for 921 yards and 19 touchdowns. He led the team to a Big 12 championship in 2022 and was an honorable mention for the 2023 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Howard decided to transfer to Ohio State in his final year of eligibility, while the Wildcats went forward with Avery Johnson.
The rest is history. Kansas State found its signal-caller, but Howard reached the pinnacle of college football with a national title in his lone season with the Buckeyes. His rewards were a historic postseason run and a rise in the Draft. Still, Howard had a lackluster resume before his tenure with the Buckeyes, never making any noise that would suggest he's pro-ready. There were also question marks about his true impact on the team, given that it had several NFL-level weapons and the league's best defense.
Clearly, though, Howard has some fans in the pros who believe he should be the next face of the Steelers.