Mike Tomlin Will Howard
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed how rookie quarterback Will Howard is preforming at the team's rookie minicamp.
The longer the Pittsburgh Steelers go without being able to sign veteran Aaron Rodgers, the longer Steelers Nation can dream about the possibility of sixth-round pick Will Howard emerging as the team’s starting quarterback.
Head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t suggest Howard is anywhere close to being in the starter discussion yet. But during his first media session at Steelers rookie minicamp, Tomlin provided an overall positive update on how Howard has been performing.
Tomlin also said the team is using rookie minicamp to get better acquainted with all of their rookies, including Howard.
“He’s doing great,” Tomlin told reporters. “We’re at the very beginning of it. I don’t know that we’re looking at it through that lens in terms of evaluating him.
“It’s more about getting to know him and just laying a good foundation that way.”
The Steelers added seven draft picks in the 2025 class. The team selected Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh also has eight undrafted rookies attending rookie minicamp. Several first-year and tryout players have been in attendance at Steelers rookie minicamp as well.
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin on Will Howard, Rookie QBs
Before diving into Howard specifically, Tomlin spoke generally about what he likes to look for in young signal-callers, particularly in a rookie camp setting.
“Huddle command and communication, the ability to regurgitate new information, and by new information, I mean information that’s new to them, and so I don’t want to underscore how difficult it is to receive some of the verbiage from a play caller and have to regurgitate it to 10 others that are waiting for it,” said Tomlin.
“The giving and receiving of information is a central component of leadership at that position.”
The Steelers might be able to expect Howard to excel in that area. Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle argued Saturday that “the mental aspect of Howard’s game” is where he really likes “to shine.”
“His 94th-percentile SAT score speaks to how smart he is, and the fact that he went from transferring schools to winning the national championship is further proof,” McCorkle wrote. “He had to pick up on a whole new set of lingo and play calls in an entirely different offensive system than K-State and lead his offense with it.
“There were growing pains, but he got better as the season went on and was excellent in the playoffs.”
McCorkle also reference an answer Howard gave at the NFL combine about his mental strengths.
“I can talk through pretty much any play. If you want to bring up a play, I’ll tell you why I did what I did, what the read was, what the play call was, what the protection was,” Howard said, via McCorkle. I know pretty much all that stuff.
“I think that’s one of the best parts of my game; I believe I’m an elite processor; I can recall things like nothing.”