Whether fans want to believe it or not, Omar Khan and Art Rooney II were very intentional with their most recent hire. Naming Mike McCarthy as just the fourth head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1969 wasn’t just about experience—it was about alignment.
McCarthy was raised by the very city he’ll represent every Sunday, and his reputation for developing quarterbacks is the hidden tune Steelers fans didn’t realize they needed to hear. That music, loud and poetic, couldn’t be more timely for second-year quarterback Will Howard.
There may not be many NFL players positioned better than Pittsburgh’s sixth-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft. Howard hasn’t taken a regular-season snap yet, but he’s been close enough to the fire to feel the heat. Spending a full year behind a future Hall of Fame quarterback like Aaron Rodgers during a playoff push is more valuable than gold.
Howard wasn’t just holding a clipboard—he was absorbing preparation habits, situational awareness, and the emotional demands of winning football. For a young quarterback, that kind of exposure accelerates growth in ways practice reps can’t replicate.
Now, the former national champion quarterback steps into Year Two with a head coach who made his name molding passers. McCarthy is a quarterback guru, an offensive architect who understands timing, footwork, and decision-making at a granular level. For Howard, it doesn’t get any better than this.
Mike McCarthy will develop Will Howard to become a franchise quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers
The most encouraging part? McCarthy isn’t hiding his excitement.
“I’m really excited about Will Howard,” McCarthy told reporters during his introductory press conference. “I think he’s someone that really came on at Ohio State.”
That praise wasn’t casual. During his time as a Buckeye, Howard threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. More importantly, he was instrumental during Ohio State’s national championship run, displaying poise and command when the stakes were highest. Those traits don’t go unnoticed by coaches who’ve stood on the biggest stages.
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Even with uncertainty surrounding Rodgers’ future, McCarthy made it clear that the young quarterback matters. “It would be great to have Aaron back,” he said, “but Will and Mason—I’m really excited to get started with those guys.” Recognition like that, on Day One, isn’t small. It gives Howard purpose and confidence, even if the immediate direction of the quarterback room remains unclear.
What’s evident is McCarthy’s commitment to developing his quarterbacks. He plans to be hands-on, invested, and deliberate. That approach benefits everyone—the players, the coaches, and the franchise. It also gives Pittsburgh clarity. Before you can rebuild, you have to identify what you already have. And Howard will finally have the structure and mentorship to show who he can become.
My hope is simple. I hope Will Howard becomes everything Steelers fans want him to be. The thought of a sixth-round pick leading the Steelers, with a hometown head coach calling the plays, feels like a storybook script. It’s nostalgic and forward-looking all at once—a season filled with possibility and untapped potential.
The pieces are lining up. Now it’s up to Will Howard to write the next chapter.