The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ quarterback depth chart is almost settled right now.
Will Howard was third behind Mason Rudolph and starter Aaron Rodgers, and that wasn’t likely to change in the coming weeks.
Even so, it was still a shame to learn that Howard suffered an injury that will cost him some crucial development time.
With that in mind, Rodgers recently shared his honest thoughts on Howard’s situation.
“It s****. S**** for him for sure because he’s had such a nice camp as a young player and then watching him in minicamp and just seeing his command of the offense. But this year is a growth year for him,” Rodgers said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.
Aaron Rodgers on Will Howard’s throwing hand injury: “It sucks. Sucks for him for sure because he’s had such a nice camp as a young player and then watching him in mini camp and just seeing his command of the offense. But this year is a growth year for him.”
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 6, 2025
Howard was expected to play in the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he sustained a fracture in his throwing hand at practice and will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
On the bright side, most reports are optimistic about him being able to avoid surgery.
Howard’s chances of playing in the regular season were slim at best.
Unless Rodgers suffered a serious injury and Rudolph also got injured or struggled, he was in line to sit back and learn from the veterans.
Also, some believe he’s better suited to be a backup and might not have the necessary upside to be an NFL starter.
Yet, the Steelers know that Rodgers won’t be around for long.
He has admitted that this might be his final NFL season, and Howard needs to make the most of every opportunity he gets to prove that he should be given a chance to take the reins of the offense next season.
