Howard Enters Training on Thin Margin of Error
by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published April 7, 2026, 11:49 AM
All Eyes on No. 18 at Training Camp
There are times when everything falls perfectly into place.
For a large segment of Steelers Nation, that moment arrived when Pittsburgh selected Will Howard with the 185th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
After years of quarterback uncertainty, fans were ready for something different. They endured the Kenny Pickett experiment. They watched the Mitchell Trubisky era come and go. Russell Wilson failed to provide long-term answers. Even the arrival of Aaron Rodgers felt more like a temporary solution than a permanent one.
When Mike Tomlin departed following another frustrating playoff exit in January, many fans had already made up their minds.
Will Howard was the future.
Not a backup. Not a developmental quarterback. Not a project.
The future franchise quarterback charged with delivering Pittsburgh’s elusive seventh Lombardi Trophy.
The belief is understandable. Fans are tired of searching.
But belief and reality are often two different conversations.
Howard Faces Stigma of Sixth-Round Grade
Howard has become one of the most polarizing players on the roster despite never throwing a regular-season NFL pass.
Mention that he might not be the future and social media reacts as if you’ve insulted a family member. Suggest Drew Allar could eventually surpass him and prepare for incoming fire. The discussion has become less about football and more about allegiance.
It’s almost political.
One side sees Howard as the obvious answer. The other sees a sixth-round pick who remains largely unproven at the professional level.
Here’s where common sense enters the conversation.
The NFL doesn’t operate on fan emotion.
It operates on investments.
Of the league’s 32 projected starting quarterbacks, 25 were selected in the first round. Teams relentlessly protect those investments because they have millions of dollars, years of scouting and often their own job security tied to those decisions.
Howard doesn’t possess that luxury.
He wasn’t selected in the first round.
He wasn’t selected in the second round.
He wasn’t even selected in the third day until late in the sixth.
That’s not meant as criticism. It’s simply reality.
The uncomfortable truth is that history suggests stories like Howard’s rarely end with franchise quarterback status.
Could he become the exception?
Absolutely.
But exceptions are memorable precisely because they are uncommon.
And that’s what makes training camp so fascinating.
Will Howard isn’t battling Aaron Rodgers.
He’s battling history.
Will Howard’s Roster Spot Is Far from Guaranteed
When Mike McCarthy was asked about carrying four quarterbacks, he didn’t exactly dismiss the possibility.
In fact, McCarthy openly acknowledged that he likes all four signal callers currently in Pittsburgh’s quarterback room. That’s where things become interesting for second-year quarterback Will Howard.
“We’ve definitely got four that we love, I can say that,” McCarthy said during OTA sessions.
History suggests McCarthy rarely keeps four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster. League-wide, it’s also uncommon. Last season, only one team the Cleveland Browns opened with four quarterbacks on their active roster.
That reality puts Howard squarely under the microscope as the Steelers prepare for training camp at Saint Vincent College.
The challenge isn’t whether Howard belongs in the NFL. The challenge is numbers.
Aaron Rodgers isn’t going anywhere. Drew Allar was a third-round investment. Mason Rudolph is a trusted veteran whom McCarthy has repeatedly praised throughout OTAs.
That leaves Howard fighting for a roster spot in what may be the most competitive quarterback room McCarthy has coached in years.
Five Things Working for Howard
- Mike McCarthy’s reputation as a quarterback developer.
- One full year inside an NFL system.
- Familiarity with the Steelers organization.
- Developmental upside still remains high.
- Strong physical traits and leadership ability.
Five Things Working Against Howard
- Rodgers is the unquestioned starter.
- Rudolph provides veteran insurance.
- Allar represents significant draft capital.
- McCarthy historically favors carrying three quarterbacks.
- 53-Man Rosters Usually Don’t Keep Four QBs
NFL Roster Limits and Howard
- The Browns were the NFL’s only four-quarterback team last season.
- Most NFL teams carry just two or three quarterbacks.
- Howard has a developmental year already invested in him.
- Waiving Howard could expose him to another team.
- McCarthy’s final roster decision could hinge on roster math, not talent alone.
The Browns Blueprint and Why It Matters to Will Howard
If Will Howard ultimately earns a spot on the Steelers’ 53-man roster, recent NFL history suggests Pittsburgh may have to take an unconventional path.
Last season, only one NFL team carried four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster. The Cleveland Browns elected to keep veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett along with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
That doesn’t include DeShuan Watson who was placed on the Reserve/Physcially Unable to Perform (PUP) list while recovering from surgeries.
That’s where Howard enters the equation.
The Steelers currently have Rodgers entrenched as the starter. Rudolph provides veteran experience and familiarity with the organization. Allar arrived as a third-round draft selection and represents a significant investment in the future.
Howard is caught in the middle.
The former Ohio State quarterback has spent a year learning the professional game and benefits from being in Mike McCarthy’s quarterback school. But if Pittsburgh follows the traditional NFL model and keeps only three quarterbacks, Howard becomes one of the most fascinating roster decisions of the summer.
The Browns proved keeping four quarterbacks can be done.
The question is whether McCarthy and Omar Khan believe Howard’s future value is worth sacrificing a roster spot elsewhere.
National Champions Don’t Always Become NFL Franchise Quarterbacks
One of the biggest arguments in favor of Will Howard is simple. He won a national championship at Ohio State.
Fair enough.
But history suggests that winning college football’s biggest prize doesn’t guarantee anything once the NFL arrives.
Looking at the last 20 national championship quarterbacks from 2005 through 2025 reveals a fascinating trend.
The quarterbacks who went on to become franchise cornerstones were overwhelmingly selected in the first round.
- Joe Burrow.
- Trevor Lawrence.
- Cam Newton.
- Deshaun Watson.
- Jameis Winston.
- J. McCarthy.
- Vince Young.
Even Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa received extensive opportunities because of where they were drafted.
Now look at the names of Day 3.
- Will Howard.
- Stetson Bennett.
- Cardale Jones.
- J. McCarron.
The list gets uncomfortable quickly.
- Jake Coker went undrafted.
- Greg McElroy went undrafted.
- Matt Flynn went undrafted.
- Chris Leak went undrafted.
Those players accomplished something few quarterbacks in history ever achieve. They won national championships.
Yet NFL teams still viewed them as developmental players, backups or camp arms.
That’s the reality Howard faces today. Steelers fans see the quarterback who led Ohio State to a title. NFL decision-makers see the sixth-round draft choice.
The league has spent the last two decades telling us exactly what it thinks about championship quarterbacks.
Winning matters.
Draft position matters more.
National Titles Help Only So Much
- 11 of the last 20 championship quarterbacks were first-round selections.
- Four national championship quarterbacks went undrafted.
- Several Day 3 selections never became long-term NFL starters.
- NFL teams consistently place greater value on draft pedigree than college accomplishments.
- Howard enters camp trying to become one of the rare exceptions to the rule.
Winning National Championship QBs Since 2025
The combination of Ohio State and the championship are the perfect concoction for many Steelers’ fans to think that this is the next guy. This is the magical selection that no one else knew about in the NFL Draft. Flying under the radar of being, both the championship winning quarterback at one of college football’s most prestigious programs.
Last 20 National Championship QBs (2005–2025)
- NFL Draft – Round (Pick/Team)
- 2025 – Indiana -Fernando Mendoza, 1st Round
- 2024 – Ohio State, Will Howard, 6th round
- 2023 – Michigan – J. J. McCarthy, 1st round
- 2022 – Georgia – Stetson Bnnett, 4th round
- 2021 -Georgia -Stetson Bennet, 4th round
- 2020 – Alabama – Mac Jones, 1st round
- 2019 – LSU – Joe Burrow, 1st Overall
- 2018 – Clemson -Trevor Lawrence, 1st Overall
- 2017- Alabama – Jalen Hurts + Tua Tagovailoa* Hurts 2nd round, Tagovailoa 1st round
- 2016 – Clemson – Deshaun Watson, 1st round
- 2015 – Alabama – Jake Coker, Undrafted
- 2014 – Ohio State – Cardale Jones, 4th round
- 2013 – Florida State – Jameis Winston, 1st Overall
- 2012 – Alabama – A. J. McCarron, 5th round
- 2011 = Alabama – A. J. McCarron, 5th round
- 2010 – Auburn – Cam Newton, 1st Overall
- 2009 – Alabama – Greg McElroy, Undrafted
- 2008 – Florida – Tim Tebow 1st round
- 2007 – LSU, Matt Flynn, Undrafted
- 2006 -Florida – Chris Leak, Undrafted
- 2005 – Texas – Vince Young, 1st Round
