Aaron Rodgers could ruin Will Howard’s Week 1 hopes as Steelers labeled NFL’s ‘worst QB room’

With the 185th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally addressed their quarterback room by selecting Ohio State’s Will Howard.

Howard, who waited until Day 3 to hear his name called, was visibly emotional when the moment arrived—caught on video pleading for the Steelers to take him.

“Please pick me, please! Please, pick me Pittsburgh,” Howard said in the clip, tears in his eyes.

Depending on how the offseason unfolds, Howard could have a legitimate shot at earning the QB2 role—and perhaps more. CBS Sports' Garrett Podell recently labeled the Steelers as having the worst quarterback room in the NFL heading into next season.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers have the worst quarterback room in the entire NFL after completely turning over at the position in each of the last two years,” Podell wrote.

“Mason Rudolph, a third-round pick of the Steelers in 2018, returns home after a year away with the Tennessee Titans in 2024. He threw nine touchdowns and nine interceptions across eight games last season, including five starts. Skylar Thompson joins the team after backing up Tua Tagovailoa for three seasons in Miami. He has one passing touchdown and three interceptions in 10 games played, including three starts. The rookie in the room is Will Howard, a sixth-round pick after helping lead Ohio State to a national championship in his fifth season of college football.”

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Still, Podell believes Howard could emerge as the Week 1 starter—unless one future Hall of Famer enters the picture.

“Head coach Mike Tomlin ends up uninspired by both Rudolph and Thompson, which leads to Howard seizing the job after continuing the growth he showed as a passer as a Buckeye,” Podell added. “That is unless Aaron Rodgers joins the team after visiting the facility earlier in the offseason.”

Rodgers could dramatically impact Howard’s rookie-year trajectory with a single decision. Tomlin previously said training camp would serve as a deadline for Rodgers to decide. However, he’s since walked that back.

“To be quite honest with you, I don't know that I meant that specifically for him or the circumstance,” Tomlin said. “I'm just saying, in general, when you report to training camp, it's a line of demarcation of development of a group, individually and collectively.”

Howard’s arrival in Pittsburgh already has the support of one Steelers legend. Former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger praised the pick on his Footbahlin podcast.

“I’m really excited about this pick,” Roethlisberger said. “Don’t know him. Heard some really good things. I just saw the clip that’s been going around… You see tears coming down his face. That’s a love for the game, not caring where or what round you get drafted. Being excited to be in the NFL—that’s what you want.”

“Some guys come in and treat it like a job. But you gotta love this game because from Monday to Saturday is work. Sunday is fun. You gotta love this game because of what it puts you through.”