He has very little chance of seeing the field this season, but that’s not stopping Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard from taking every practice rep he gets as the third-string quarterback seriously, treating it like he’s in the middle of a game in front of 65,000 screaming fans.
Out with an injury since early August after breaking his pinkie on a snap during training camp, Howard has been out of sight, out of mind in recent months. But on October 22, while on the Reserve/Injured list, Howard had his 21-day practice window opened for a return to the roster.
On Wednesday, the Steelers activated him, slotting him in as the No. 3 quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph.
Although the Steelers are in the midst of the season and the reps in practice are focused on getting Rodgers ready for each game, limiting the opportunities Howard has to run the offense, he’s treating every limited rep he gets like it’s his own game.
Speaking with reporters Thursday, Howard highlighted how he’s trying to take advantage of the limited action throughout the week as QB3.
“My Wednesday, Thursday, Friday are my games, so I’m out there trying to make every rep as competitive and as real as possible,” Howard said of his limited practice reps, according to video via Steelers.com. “And I think I’ve done a pretty good job of it so far, but just gotta keep it going.
“It’s a day-by-day process, and I know Rome’s not gonna be built in a day. But just if I can get a little bit better every single day, that’s all that matters.”
Will Howard spoke to the media about being activated to the active roster and more. @PondLehocky
— Steelers Live (@SteelersLive) November 13, 2025
For a young quarterback like Howard, who didn’t get to play in the preseason at all and was on the shelf for much of the season, jumping on a moving train at the quarterback position can be difficult, at least physically. He has the right mentality, though, and knows his reps are limited, so he has to take advantage of them.
It also helps that, behind the scenes, the Steelers’ QB room — notably Rodgers — kept him engaged, giving him small assignments to handle each week while helping the quarterbacks prepare. Howard soaked up that experience, and also jotted down some nuggets he picked up from Rodgers along the way.
Now, he’s back on the practice field and is able to get some work in, albeit in a limited fashion. With him back on the 53-man roster, that’s not going to slow down the hype train regarding him. Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden raved about Howard during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan on Thursday, and it has many fans, as well as some media members, clamoring for him to get a shot this season, especially if the Steelers are out of contention.
Howard isn’t hearing any of it. Instead, he’s focused on the task at hand: getting better each and every day and taking advantage of the reps he sees in practice. The rest will take care of itself.
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