Pittsburgh’s 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday belonged to Aaron Rodgers and Jaylen Warren on the field, but Will Howard still found a way to become part of the conversation from the sideline.
Howard was ruled out before kickoff and listed inactive for the Week 3 matchup at Acrisure Stadium. The second-year quarterback dressed for the game, but his role was limited to emergency third quarterback duty. He wasn’t there to play - just to be available if needed.
That didn’t stop him from grabbing attention online.
During the game, fans zoomed in on Howard’s white uniform pants and spotted a very noticeable bulge. The shape quickly led to a simple conclusion: he had tucked nicotine pouches into his pants. A Steelers fan account on X posted an image calling out the circular outline and jokingly wondered whether Howard was the first quarterback in franchise history to carry Zyns during a game.
The reaction kept rolling from there, including one fan who said they wanted Howard as QB1 over Rodgers.
While Howard became a viral sideline footnote, Rodgers handled the heavy lifting for Pittsburgh, throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Warren added 127 rushing yards as the Steelers held off their division rival.
Howard, meanwhile, is still waiting for his first NFL regular-season appearance. He spent his entire 2025 rookie season on injured reserve after fracturing his thumb, and so far the only game action he’s logged for Pittsburgh has come in the preseason.
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