The Pittsburgh Steelers head into another offseason with a familiar storyline: uncertainty under center. For the fifth straight year, the quarterback position remains a question mark - and once again, all eyes are on what direction the franchise will take.
Aaron Rodgers, the four-time MVP, still hasn’t made a decision about returning for what would be his 22nd NFL season. His potential retirement looms large over the Steelers’ offseason plans, but the team’s quarterback room isn’t completely in limbo - not if you ask one of the league’s top defenders.
Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby had some high praise for second-year quarterback Will Howard during a recent episode of his podcast, The Rush. And it wasn’t just lip service - Crosby sounds genuinely bullish on what Howard can bring to the table.
“I’m a Will Howard believer, I’m not gonna lie,” Crosby said. “I think he’s a helluva player.
I think Will Howard’s got the size, he’s got the intangibles, he’s talented, he’s a smart quarterback. I think Will Howard just sitting there, learning behind McCarthy and Rodgers is gonna do that franchise a lot of great things.”
That’s not nothing - especially coming from a guy who makes his living chasing down quarterbacks. Crosby’s been around long enough to know what a promising young signal-caller looks like, and he clearly sees something in Howard that’s worth watching.
Howard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, didn’t come into the league with a ton of fanfare. But he’s quietly become a name to keep an eye on in Pittsburgh. While Rodgers’ future remains in flux, and with new head coach Mike McCarthy stepping in, Howard may have a real opportunity to carve out a role for himself - if not as the immediate starter, then as a developmental piece with real upside.
McCarthy, for his part, seems eager to get started.
“I’m real excited about Will Howard,” McCarthy said during his introductory press conference. “He’s someone that I thought really came on there at Ohio State. I’m anxious to work with him.”
That’s a noteworthy endorsement from a coach who’s worked with some of the best quarterbacks in the game. McCarthy knows what it takes to develop talent at the position, and if he sees potential in Howard, that’s a storyline worth tracking.
For now, the Steelers’ quarterback situation remains unresolved. Rodgers could return and give Pittsburgh one more year of veteran leadership. Or the team could be forced to pivot - either to McCarthy’s preferred system with a new face under center, or by accelerating Howard’s development.
One thing’s clear: Will Howard has believers in the building - and beyond it. Whether that translates into playing time or a larger role in 2026 remains to be seen, but the Steelers may have more than just a placeholder in their young quarterback. They might have a future.