Rookie QB Will Howard is a sponge absorbing everything Aaron Rodgers says. He’s making sure he doesn’t forget anything, either. Spending most of the season on injured reserve and just activated back to the 53-man roster Wednesday, Howard’s focus has shifted beyond the upcoming opponent. But he’s made good use of his time learning from a future Hall of Famer like Rodgers.
In the latest example of that, Howard told reporters he has a Word document where he adds any and all valuable pieces of information Rodgers offers. The Trib’s Chris Adamski shared that nugget Thursday afternoon.
“Will Howard says he has a Word document in which he records any thoughts or nuggets or advice that Aaron Rodgers offers him this season,” Adamski tweeted.
Will Howard says he has a Word document in which he records any thoughts or nuggets or advice that Aaron Rodgers offers him this season
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) November 13, 2025
It sounds similar to the approach Tom Brady took, writing down and keeping notes on every NFL game he ever played. Thoughts that could be referenced in later matchups and during his transition from the field to the broadcast booth.
Rodgers has taken on a mentor role for Howard, assigning him special projects each week he was on injured reserve to help piece together Pittsburgh’s game plan. It’s helped make up for time lost after Howard broke a bone in his throwing hand during training camp and was forced to sit out the entire preseason. The Steelers placed him on injured reserve before Week 1, had him return to practice last month, and activated him to their 53-man roster earlier this week.
Howard choosing to go the extra mile to learn from Rodgers is notable. It follows Jon Gruden’s high praise for Howard’s work ethic and “photographic memory” after Howard wowed during a Gruden QB camp before April’s draft.
Back on the roster, Howard is poised to serve as the Steelers’ emergency third-string quarterback each week. He’s only permitted to play if Rodgers and immediate backup Mason Rudolph are injured. The odds of Howard seeing the field this season are low but not zero. And he’s clearly readying himself for that moment by learning all he can from Rodgers, a wealth of knowledge most rookie quarterbacks aren’t provided.
It’s the silver lining to being a sixth-round pick. Disappointing as it was to wait so long to hear his name called, Howard went to a stable organization that didn’t put pressure on him to immediately produce. In a world where most first-round quarterbacks see their head coaches fired during their rookie year, it’s already happened to Tennessee’s Cam Ward and the New York Giants’ Jaxson Dart, Howard can watch and learn.
It’s another story that makes Howard easy to root for even if it takes until next summer to see him play inside a stadium.
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