The Pittsburgh Steelers are clearly hoping Aaron Rodgers returns for another NFL season and is their starting QB in 2026.
What if the future Hall of Fame quarterback decides that now is the time to retire, though? The Steelers need to have a plan B.
Apparently, they do -- it just might not be what fans would expect.
This is what Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac shared Wednesday via X: Will Howard "is going to get a shot. Their plan, as I stated earlier, is to go all-in on working with him and see what they have.”
Dulac says Steelers ‘Plan B’ if Rodgers retires is Will Howard: “He is going to get a shot. Their plan, as I stated earlier, is to go all-in on working with him and see what they have.” #Steelers #NFL
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) March 11, 2026
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That would leave Mason Rudolph as the backup to Howard, who just completed his rookie season in the NFL.
Howard was a sixth-round pick out of Ohio State. He played his college career at Kansas State before joining the Buckeyes for the 2024 season -- and he led OSU to a national title.
He's got some promise as a scrambler due to his positive mobility, and Howard's throwing ability showed itself more as the season went on at Ohio State.
Last season, the Steelers didn't get a chance to show what they have in him, but they likely saw what he could and couldn't do in the building each day.
It seems like it'd be an incredibly bold call to throw Howard out there as the starter this season, especially with a win-now coaching hire like Mike McCarthy.
But this report at least has opened the door to that unlikely possibility. It either means Howard is much more advanced than people think, or that the Steelers are feeling quite risky. The report could also be missing the mark.
It's hard to know until the rest of the free agent and draft QB markets play out. But it seems, at the very least, like the Steelers are fans of Howard.
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