Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard donned the Black and Gold for the first time this weekend.
Howard and rookie running back Kaleb Johnson attended the NFLPA Rookie Premiere Showcase, and there, they wore their Steelers uniforms for the first time.
Howard is wearing No. 18, the same number he wore while playing at Ohio State and Kansas State. Howard has notably told everyone he is excited to be a Steeler and has rooted for them to pick him.
“As the draft went on, you never know where you’re going to end up, but you keep a little spot in your heart for where you really wanna go, and I had a little soft spot for Pittsburgh,” Howard said. “I was hoping in my heart that they picked me.”
Johnson is wearing No. 20. He wore No. 2 at Iowa, but quarterback Mason Rudolph took that. For his stint with the Steelers, Johnson has already been focused on improving his pass protection, the one thing that could hold him back from starting right away.
“Pass blocking,” Johnson said on what he’d like to improve. “Pass blocking that’s my main thing. That’s what I want to work on. I’m going to work on it every day. After practice, just going over there with the bag right there and hitting it with Coach Faulkner. Just learning, and learning from Warren, too, because he’s one of the best dudes in the league right now. I told him let’s do it. Let’s work after every practice and do it. He’s with it, and I’m down to go.”
He had a massive 2024 season, racking up 1537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. That earned him an All-Big 10 selection and All-American honors as one of the best running backs in college football.