NFL: New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers
Aug 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) looks to pass against the New York Jets during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Roster cutdown day is coming fast on Sunday, August 30, and every season brings one of the toughest stretches of the NFL calendar for players on the fringe. Locker rooms thin out overnight, careers are put on pause, and coaches like Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy must make decisions fans will debate for months.
Pittsburgh is facing one of those decisions at a position that draws more attention than almost any other on the roster. Will Howard just made that call a little easier for the Steelers, and not in a good way.
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Will Howard’s Week 2 preseason stats show a step down
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) participates in training camp drills at Saint Vincent College.
Howard started over Mason Rudolph in Pittsburgh’s 17-0 loss to the New York Jets on Friday, and the results were rough. He completed 10 of 15 passes for just 74 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt, with two interceptions and one sack.
Both interceptions came on throws over the middle intended for receiver Roman Wilson.
“Both of them were unfortunate,” Howard said after the Steelers’ game. “Can’t happen. Running a shallow cross, drift a little bit, and the safety jumped it. Just gotta see in front of that.”
On the second interception, Howard said he simply “got undercut.” Howard did not shy away from the poor performance.
“I don’t blink. It’s football. Bad things are going to happen,” he told reporters. However, he also admitted the bigger concern was the offense’s lack of progress.
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“We didn’t really make any strides tonight. That’s a shame because every opportunity out here, you want to be growing. You want to be taking steps forward.”
It was a sharp turn from Week 1, when Howard completed 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards in relief against Green Bay. That performance included a clean 4-for-4 stretch during an 80-yard touchdown drive.
Steelers QB competition favors Drew Allar
NFL: New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy talks with quarterbacks Drew Allar (16) and Will Howard (18) during warm-ups for a game against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium.
The bigger issue for Howard is not one bad half. It is the number of quarterbacks ahead of him.
Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal worth up to $25 million in May and is firmly established as Pittsburgh’s starter for what he has already called his final NFL season. That leaves Howard competing with Rudolph and rookie Drew Allar for a backup role, not the starting job.
Allar carries significant weight in that competition. The Steelers selected the Penn State product with the No. 76 overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The current coaching staff, led by Mike McCarthy, made that investment.
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Howard, by contrast, was a sixth-round pick in 2025 under the previous regime led by Mike Tomlin, before McCarthy arrived in Pittsburgh. McCarthy has publicly praised Howard and even said he would have drafted him earlier than the sixth round. Still, praise is not the same as investment.
Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo has also noted that Allar being handpicked by the new staff naturally raises questions about which young quarterback has the longer runway.
Then there is Rudolph, who has 19 career starts and completed 10 of 11 passes in his preseason debut.
Practice squad likely for Will Howard
The Steelers have discussed carrying four quarterbacks in 2026, including the practice squad, but doing so would be unusual and require sacrificing depth elsewhere on the 53-man roster. If Howard gets squeezed out, his college success could help him find another opportunity because scouts have followed him since his national championship run at Ohio State.
For now, Pittsburgh appears willing to try to stash Howard on the practice squad if he clears waivers. That plan would require the Steelers to bet that no other team wants him badly enough to claim him.
After his Week 2 performance, that bet became a little safer for Pittsburgh.
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Matt De Lima
Matt De Lima brings 15+ years of elite sports media experience to the table. From covering the gridiron to the hardwood, this Virginia Tech graduate has established himself as a versatile editor and writer for heavy hitters like Sports Illustrated and DraftKings. A twice-nominated FSWA finalist, Matt combines a digital-first philosophy with an eagle eye for breaking news, consistently delivering the engaging coverage today’s audience demands across the NFL, NBA, MLB, and beyond.
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