Steelers Legend Slams the Media for Their Negativity Towards Young QB
Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger is an avid supporter of the Steelers’ sixth-round draft pick, former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard. The former Buckeye broke his right pinky finger during training camp. Because of this, Howard didn’t get any playing time during his rookie season. Many people are unsure how the 24-year-old will perform in the NFL, and he has been receiving some negative press. The former Steelers quarterback spoke about the media’s negativity towards Howard on his Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast this week. He said, “I know there are some people out there on the radio and stuff that are just totally against him. I don’t get it. How can you be against somebody you have never seen play at this level? Like you just can’t. It’s just who they are, I guess.”
During his appearance on WDVE on Wednesday, Roethlisberger reiterated his belief that the Steelers shouldn’t draft a quarterback during the early rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. He commented, “I don’t think the Steelers should go get a quarterback any time in the first couple of rounds.” He stressed the importance of building the team, “Build the team. Get receivers, get corners, get line. Build this team.” Roethlisberger remarked, “If you put Will in and Will is not worth a lick, then guess what, you’re going to have a not good season.” He continued, “You’re going to get a top pick, and you can find out if there’s a good quarterback that you want in the 2027 draft. While you were waiting and seeing what Will Howard did, you were building a team that you can plug a young quarterback into.”
After the 2025 NFL Draft, Howard appeared on Roethlisberger’s podcast. The legendary Steeler could tell that there was something about the young quarterback that made him stand out. Roethlisberger explained, “I could just see in his eye and the way he talked how much he wanted to be here.” He added, “When he got drafted in the sixth round, what did he do when he got drafted? He asked for the playbook. He wanted to dive into the offense. There are other quarterbacks that were taken late that we’re celebrating and doing this, that, and the other. I just like the fact that he’s like, I’m ready to go, like, I want to dive into this thing. He just has a heart and a passion for it.”
Howard has also received praise from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. During his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, Rodgers talked about working with the former Buckeye. He remarked, “Will, in general, I think, has what it takes from a personality and a moxie standpoint to have a long career in the league. You never know what’s gonna happen until the live bullets start flying.” He continued, “I went to him early in the season, early in camp, and I said, ‘Listen, I’ll help you as much or as little as you want.’ You know, it’s kind of my nature to inject, you know, during a drill work or during a meeting, because I want you to see the game the way I see it. I want you to be thinking about the things that a young player should be thinking about.”
Rodgers said, “He’s got the right mindset. He’s a very humble guy. He asked a lot of questions. He was in my hip pocket for a bunch, and I loved it. I mean, I really did. I’m a big Will Howard, not just a fan as a human, but a believer as a player that when his time comes, he’s gonna be more than capable of being not just a consistent starter, but a guy who can stick in the league for a long, long time. it’s because of his mindset.”
The four-time NFL MVP also described how Howard learned from him, “I think from an intelligence standpoint and processing the pre-snap stuff, I think he’s gonna be great at that. You know, he was my right-hand man with all the signals this year. He was phenomenal at it. You know, he sat next to me in every meeting. He was sitting next to me in the quarterback room. He was sitting next to me in the big room when we went on offense, and I loved it because I was always whispering things to him.” He added, “He learned how I did. When I was a young player, I studied defenses, and I studied, you know, defensive signals and secondary and different things. And that’s what he was doing.”
Receiving endorsements from both Roethlisberger and Rodgers is quite an honor. Rodgers hasn’t decided yet if he will retire or return to the Steelers for another season. There has been a great deal of speculation about who will be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2026 if he doesn’t return. It will be interesting to see if Howard gets a chance to play if Rodgers retires.
