While Will Howard sat on the Reserve/Injured List most of his rookie season, Aaron Rodgers insists he grew a lot. After all, the veteran quarterback was frequently right by his side, having taken the rookie under his wing. Numerous times over the course of the season, he showered Howard with praise, and he continues to do so.
Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show recently, Rodgers talked about what he actually saw in Will Howard. Bot just on the field, in training camp and once he returned from injury, but also in the classroom. From his point of view, the young quarterback gained plenty along the way.
“He learned how I did”, Rodgers said of Howard. “When I was a young player, I studied defenses. I studied defensive signals and the secondary and different things, and that’s what he was doing. And then he was watching me self-scout on what signals I use during the week. I think it was anything but a wasted year. It was a year that he’s gonna look back on at some point and be really thankful that he learned football in that way”.
Will Howard suffered a hand injury shortly before the Steelers’ first preseason game. Aaron Rodgers and his coaches spoke highly of his development up to that point, which came to a screeching halt. At least on the field. That’s where Rodgers and the coaching staff stepped up and kept him busy.
But Rodgers also saw growth in Howard once he returned to practice late in the season. “I talked to him a lot about where do your eyes start with each play? Because you need to simplify things to process quickly”, he said, noting the anticipation he observed.
“I saw that late in the year as he returned to practice”, he added of Howard. “I think from an intelligence standpoint, processing the pre-snap stuff, I think he’s gonna be great at that. He was my righthand man with all the signals this year. He was phenomenal at it”.
The Steelers selected Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They didn’t draft him expecting him to be the quarterback of the future, but they hoped to develop him. The freak injury set that back significantly, but Aaron Rodgers won’t hear talk of a lost year. From what he saw in the rookie, he expects a significant step forward in Year 2.
If Rodgers doesn’t return to the Steelers, though, could Howard realistically start this season? It’s something many are debating externally, but what are they thinking inside the building? New Steelers HC Mike McCarthy has praised Howard, but that’s different from putting him on the field.
Recommended for you