Pittsburgh Steelers risk 2025 season by choosing rookie Will Howard over Aaron Rodgers
Steelers pick rookie Will Howard over Aaron Rodgers for 2025 QB (Image via: Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers, long known for their consistency and playoff presence, are entering a critical turning point. With the 2025 NFL season approaching, the franchise has made a stunning shift at the most important position.
Rather than pursue proven veteran Aaron Rodgers, the
Steelers
appear ready to roll with rookie Will Howard, a sixth-round pick who's never taken a snap in the NFL.
Will Howard over Aaron
Rodgers
— the Steelers' most polarizing decision yet
Bleacher Report recently ranked the best quarterback options for Pittsburgh, and the verdict raised eyebrows across the NFL. Will Howard topped the list ahead of Rodgers with analyst Brent Sobleski calling the rookie a 'win-win' choice. According to the logic, either Howard shines unexpectedly, or the team's struggles result in a high 2026 draft pick.
For a franchise like Pittsburgh, that thinking is borderline heresy.
This isn't just a coaching decision, it's a philosophical shift. The Steelers, once allergic to losing, now seem open to the idea if it means solving their long-term quarterback dilemma. It's a gamble that flirts with tanking, whether the team admits it or not.
Aaron Rodgers, though aging, remains one of the few quarterbacks who can elevate a roster overnight. Overlooking him in favor of an untested rookie not only risks on-field failure but could also create tension in the locker room and among the fanbase. Players want to win now. Fans expect it. Is the front office prepared for the fallout?
Pittsburgh's identity has always been about fighting, not folding.
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But this QB decision suggests the organization might prefer a controlled collapse over continued mediocrity. It's a strategy some franchises have used effectively but it's never been the Steeler way.
Also Read:
Joe Flacco's candid mentorship comments stir controversy in Browns QB room with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel
If Will Howard stumbles and the season spirals, it could snap Mike Tomlin's 17-year streak without a losing record and open the floodgates to criticism the franchise hasn't heard in decades. One thing's for sure: the Steelers aren't just betting on a quarterback. They're betting their legacy on him. And with the 2025 NFL season shaping up to be a defining chapter, all eyes will be on Pittsburgh's quarterback decision.
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