The move to add Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback this offseason was designed to help get the Pittsburgh Steelers over the hump in the playoffs and win a game or two in the postseason, competing for a Super Bowl. Former NFL GM and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum believes he won’t even get the chance to do that. Appearing on Get Up Friday morning, Tannenbaum he believes Rodgers won’t even make it to December as the starter. Instead, Will Howard will end as the Steelers’ starter.
“Will Howard will be starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers by December 1st,” Tannenbaum said of the Steelers’ quarterback situation. “Will Howard led Ohio State to the national championship, 89 QBR, 35 touchdown passes. And if he was a little bit better in the offseason before the draft, he could have been a third or a fourth round pick.”
Tannenbaum has been high on Howard throughout the offseason since the Steelers drafted him. Back in May, he said the Steelers should start the Ohio State product immediately to find out what they have in him for the future, rather than sign Rodgers. In June, he said Howard should be a name talked up more as a viable option for the Steelers. Three days later, the Steelers officially signed Rodgers.
Now, in the quieter part of the offseason (unless you’re the Steelers), Tannenbaum believes the national-champion quarterback will be the guy under center for the Black and Gold by December 1.
“Aaron Rodgers is an all-time great, but he will be 42 in December,” Tannenbaum said of Rodgers. “Last year, Pittsburgh gave up sacks at the 28th-highest rate, meaning they were not very good protecting the passer. So when you have a 42-year-old quarterback, no off-season program, an offensive line that should, in fairness be better because Troy Fautanu is coming back, I think Will Howard has a meaningful chance to be the quarterback of the future.
“And Mike Tomlin will play the best players. And by the time we get to December, watch what happens.”
Rodgers is well up there in age, but with the way the Steelers want to play football offensively, they should be able to protect him. They can do that by running the football, utilizing play-action, and creating short, quick throws to get the ball out quickly to playmakers to utilize run-after-catch skills with the likes of DK Metcalf, Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith and Calvin Austin III.
The offensive line is the biggest question, but if that unit takes a step forward like many expect, the Steelers should be in good shape. Rodgers looked good physically during minicamp, too, and appeared to be moving around well in individual drills. There isn’t a statue behind the offensive line.
Rodgers missing the offseason program, specifically Organized Team Activities, shouldn’t be all that big of a deal or a factor in the season. He took part in minicamp, was in communication with Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith all offseason, and quickly jumped into the playbook as soon as he signed.
He’s played 20-plus years in the NFL, has seen it all and done it all. There’s not much that should give him trouble when it comes to getting up to speed. Many of those issues will get worked out in training camp, too.
While Tomlin does play the best players, he’s not going to bench Rodgers and publicly embarrass him at the end of his Hall of Fame career, unless Rodgers is hurt and simply can’t play. For better or worse, the Steelers will ride with Rodgers throughout the 2025 season.
If something were to happen to Rodgers, Mason Rudolph would be the next man up for the Steelers, not Will Howard. Rudolph gives them a starting-caliber quarterback as a backup, one who has won some games in the NFL and has playoff experience.
The best-case scenario for Howard is to ride the pine this season, observe and learn in silence behind Rodgers and work on his game away from the spotlight as the No. 3 QB. If he’s somehow starting by December 1, something has gone drastically wrong for the Steelers.
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