Will Howard is finally about to get his first taste of NFL game action, and for the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Thursday night has been a long time coming.
The Steelers open their preseason against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:00 PM. For Pittsburgh, it’s the first live-game action of the year. For Howard, it’s something even bigger: his long-delayed debut after a lost 2025 season.
Howard, the former sixth-round pick out of Ohio State, didn’t play at all last year - not in the preseason, not in the regular season - after suffering a hand injury in training camp. That makes this week’s opener more than just a tune-up. It’s the moment he’s been waiting on.
“I’m so fired up,” Howard told the media on Monday. “I can’t wait for the game, but obviously I’m trying to take it day by day.
It’s still camp. But, you know, sometimes you can’t help but look forward a little bit and start getting excited just to be out there in live game reps.”
Thursday will be Howard’s first game since January, 2025, when he led Ohio State to the National Championship. That means a 19 month gap from his last collegiate snap to his first NFL play.
“I’ve been chomping at the bit for a while to get out there with the guys in real game-like settings. Put the uniform on, put the helmet on. I just can’t wait.”
Howard also knows exactly what this moment means beyond the excitement. This is his first NFL game, yes, but it’s also a chance to make a case for himself.
“I know everyone says preseason isn’t real football, Howard said. ”But to me it is.”
In Other News...
Joe Jackson Has Become Kansas States Offensive Tone Setter
Joe Jackson enters this season as one of the most important pieces on Kansas States offense, and not just because of what he did on the ground a year ago. After rushing for nearly 1,000 yards and earning Third-Team All-Big 12 honors, the running back has a more defined place in the Wildcats plans now, with the staff leaning on him as a tone setter who can help establish how the offense wants to play.
What makes Jackson especially interesting is the work he has put into broadening his game. He has spent time improving as a receiver, a step that could make him harder to defend and give Kansas State more ways to feature him in different situations. For a team looking for reliable offensive identity, that kind of versatility can matter just as much as the production everyone already knows about. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Still Waiting On A Crucial Offensive Line Answer
Kansas State entered the offseason hoping George Fitzpatrick could eventually become part of the answer up front after he transferred in from Ohio State, where he played in 16 games in 2024. Instead, his first year with the Wildcats was wiped out by a preseason medical emergency, leaving the offensive line without a player the staff had expected to help stabilize the group.
Now Fitzpatrick is still working his way back as the Wildcats try to piece together a line with four new starters this season. Collin Klein said the veteran lineman is not quite ready yet and still has recovery benchmarks to clear before he can return, which leaves Kansas State waiting on a key update at one of the rosters most important spots. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Kleins First Kansas State Roster Call Says Plenty About 2025
New NCAA eligibility rules have already started to reshape roster planning around college football, and Collin Klein made it clear Kansas State has taken a close look at the added flexibility. The change gives players five full years of eligibility instead of four, with some outgoing seniors eligible as well, and Klein said the Wildcats considered whether to bring in fifth-year players for the coming season. For now, though, the plan is to keep the roster intact as it stands heading into 2025.
Kleins stance on the rule itself was straightforward, as he voiced support for a system he believes can help players by cutting down on turnover and better protecting their interests. The bigger question for Kansas State is how that approach will hold up as other programs use the extra eligibility window to shuffle veteran depth and try to gain an edge. [Read more 🡒]