Though it took until yesterday for Pittsburgh Steelers rookie QB Will Howard to enjoy the first regular-season practice of his career, Arthur Smith and the coaching staff have spent plenty of time behind the scenes making sure Howard wouldn’t miss a beat. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Smith said that remained a goal even as Howard spent the first half of the season on injured reserve.
“With the lack of reps, how do you develop young (QBs) without playing games?” Smith said via the Trib’s Chris Adamski. “We put a lot of work into it. It’s unfortunate he isn’t playing in the regular season, but I think practicing is important.”
Steelers OC Arthur Smith on Will Howard's development potential in 2025: "With the lack of reps… how do you develop young (QBs) without playing games? We put a lot of work into it. IT's unfortunate he isn't playing in the regular season but I think practicing is important."
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 23, 2025
A promising training camp abruptly ended after Howard broke a bone in his throwing hand, sidelining him for the rest of the summer. Pittsburgh placed him on injured reserve ahead of Week 1. Despite being eligible weeks ago, Pittsburgh waited until Wednesday to designate his return, allowing Howard to begin practicing with the team. The Steelers have 21 days to activate him to the 53-man roster or else Howard will spend the rest of the season on injured reserve.
Despite the setback, Pittsburgh entered the season with a plan in mind. Keeping Howard engaged without practice meant him helping in other areas. Tape study and special projects assigned by the coaches and Aaron Rodgers helped Howard feel part of the team while learning himself.
“Will’s been incredible. There’s been a lot of things behind the scenes. It’s been like having another quality control around the building,” Smith said via beat writer Mark Kaboly. “We call him Coach Will. But now he’s actually back to being a player.”
“Quality control” refers to the title often given to low-level coaches on a football staff. A catch-all role that can mean anything and everything. One Smith held himself during his first NFL stop in Washington and early years with the Tennessee Titans.
But the Steelers’ aspirations are much bigger than Howard being a coach. The goal is to find out what kind of quarterback Howard can be. His injury was a speed bump but didn’t derail his career. In some ways, getting to truly sit back and learn is a benefit.
Whether time was spent on IR or as the No. 3 quarterback, Howard’s role would be similar. Watching, learning, and absorbing. Valuable practice reps were missed but can be made up. Pittsburgh is likely to use all 21 days of that allotted window before activating Howard to its 53-man roster in mid-November where he’ll serve as the Steelers’ emergency QB.
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