Days after making Mike Tomlin revelation, Will Howard opens up about struggles at Steelers OTAs

The Pittsburgh Steelers are caught between a rock and a hard place. The front office is waiting on Aaron Rodgers to decide between Pittsburgh for a year or retirement, and the current quarterback room is an interesting group, to say the least.

Pittsburgh ultimately passed on Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft and remained largely stagnant at the position aside from the selection of Will Howard with the No. 185 overall pick. In Rodgers' absence, the sixth-round pick will have the opportunity to compete against free agent signings Skyler Thompson and Mason Rudolph, and could suit up as the Steelers' starter at some point in 2025.

As he enters the offseason program in a quarterback battle, every rep will be crucial for Will Howard's case to start should Rodgers elect to retire. After a tough start on Day One of OTAs on Tuesday, Howard opened up on his progression over the last two days of practice.

"The first day was a work in progress," Howard told reporters on Thursday. "I didn't feel great about my first day, just coming off the field, but it was a great learning experience for me. I wasn't expecting to be perfect on my first day... I felt like on Day One I just wasn't really comfortable yet, then Days Two and Three I felt I've been much better."

Days prior, Howard touched on his first encounter with Mike Tomlin at the NFL Combine. In an appearance on the Up & Adams show, Howard detailed his appreciation for Tomlin's coaching style, calling the Steelers coach "the ultimate player's coach."

Will Howard shows quick turnaround after rough first day of OTAs

As he mentioned during his discussion with reporters on Thursday, Will Howard had a short memory after a tough start to OTAs on Tuesday. His timing was off, his footwork was off, and the national champion never managed to find consistent comfort on his first day on the job.

Coming back on Wednesday, Howard rebounded and continued that effort on Thursday. The rookie is finding his stride during the final sessions of OTAs and will have more opportunities to show he's got what it takes to overtake a seasoned veteran in Mason Rudolph in Pittsburgh's QB depth chart.

As the Steelers await a decision from Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback battle will be one worth keeping an eye on as teams enter mandatory minicamp following OTAs. Will Howard may not be the starter in Week 1, but he's showing strong signs of progression early in his time as a Steeler.