The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback room is a pressure cooker, and rookie Will Howard is learning to thrive in the heat without ever taking a snap. After Aaron Rodgers went down against the Bengals, Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin handed Mason Rudolph the reins. Just one touchdown and two sacks later, there were calls for a switch. And now, rookie QB 3 Will Howard has shared his strong feelings on sitting behind Rodgers and Rudolph.

“Things are never really going to go to plan, and you kind of got to adapt and adjust,” Howard said on the Not Just Football podcast. “But I do think it’s been a great learning curve, being in the situation that I’m in.”

The QB made it clear that he strongly supported his current position and that he was focused on learning. Earlier last week, in his media availability, he spoke passionately about trying to make the most of each rep he gets. The QB made it clear that he strongly supported his current position and that he was focused on learning.

“If I was going to be out for whatever nine or ten weeks, I’m in the best position to learn and to just sit back and watch,” Howard continued on the podcast. “With me being in the room with Aaron and Mason, we got a lot of knowledge and a lot of good things that I’ve been picking up on.”

Howard, who has yet to see his first NFL snap, seems determined to stay prepared. His fondness for Rodgers has, in fact, been consistent.

Right before the 2025 season kicked in, the 24-year-old rookie spoke on the Pat McAfee Show that Rodgers “is a great leader and expects excellence.” Howard even keeps a Word doc full of notes and little nuggets from Rodgers to study later. In recent days, this respect towards Rodgers must have grown after seeing him reportedly push through that recent injury.

Before the first preseason game, Howard dealt with a thumb injury of his own. So when he saw Rodgers battling through a similar hand injury, he didn’t hold back on his strong feelings and called him a “tough dude” with unbelievable pain tolerance. For now, it looks like Howard will have to wait for some time to see his first pass as Rodgers has returned for Week 13.

Aaron Rodgers returns after missing Week 12 against the Bears

Aaron Rodgers is back. After sitting out Week 12 against the Chicago Bears with a fractured left wrist (non-throwing), the 41-year-old veteran has been full go in practice all week. Coach Mike Tomlin confirmed he’s “all systems go” to start Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

“He was a full participant today with no designation for the game,” said Tomlin about Rodgers’ participation. “So, it’s all systems go. Just more reps. But, certainly, it’s another week. I’m sure there’s more comfort there, not only in him, but in the medical experts.”

Against the Bengals, Rodgers completed 9 of 15 for 116 yards and a touchdown in his last game before leaving the gridiron at halftime. Through 10 games this season with the Steelers, Rodgers has racked up 1,969 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions, and his presence would certainly help the team. Rudolph will also be expected to slide back into the backup role, and Howard seems to be right back at the third spot in the depth chart.

Regardless, the mission does not change for Pittsburgh. The Steelers now face a team that sits second in the AFC East and holds a stronger 7-4 record. According to the NFL’s latest projections, a home win over Buffalo would catapult Pittsburgh’s playoff chances to 72 percent.