Mike McCarthy made it clear from the outset that one of his primary responsibilities in Pittsburgh will be developing the Steelers’ next quarterback. And that task begins this season with Will Howard.
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In an interview with the Steelers, the quarterback McCarthy spoke most enthusiastically about wasn’t Aaron Rodgers, the four-time MVP he coached for more than a decade in Green Bay. Instead, it was Howard, the Steelers’ sixth-round pick from last year’s draft and a player McCarthy views as a foundational project.
“I’m real excited about Will Howard,” McCarthy said. “He’s someone that I thought really came on there at Ohio State. I’m anxious to work with him.”
While earlier in his introductory press conference, McCarthy did acknowledge that it would be “great to have Aaron back,” his focus consistently returned to Howard and the development of the quarterback room alongside Mason Rudolph this time. The message was unmistakable: regardless of whether a veteran is present, quarterback development will drive McCarthy’s approach.
When asked directly about the importance of developing both young and experienced quarterbacks, McCarthy leaned heavily into Howard’s situation, notably, without mentioning Rodgers at all during that portion of his answer.
“Developing quarterbacks is my foundation,” McCarthy said. “I can’t wait to work with Will Howard. It’s important to have a complete understanding of who he is, where he is, what his starting point is — and the fact that he’s going into Year 2, I love that.”
McCarthy emphasized that his greatest impact as a coach has often come with quarterbacks in their first or second seasons, citing pride in helping build the early foundation of players who later went on to long-term success.
“I love getting guys in there first or second year,” he said. “That’s where my experience has been… You can make the biggest impact.”
Howard fits that mold perfectly. The 6-foot-4, 236-pound quarterback threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 73% of his passes in leading Ohio State to the 2024 national championship. His rookie NFL season was slowed by a training camp injury to his throwing hand, but he returned later in the year and spent time behind Rodgers and Rudolph.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan echoed McCarthy’s emphasis, noting that quarterback development was central to the hiring process.
“With everybody we talked to, the conversation of developing the next young quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers was part of it,” Khan said.
McCarthy’s résumé backs up the optimism. Over three decades in coaching, he has worked with Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Dak Prescott, Joe Montana, and Aaron Brooks, helping guide multiple quarterbacks through critical stages of their careers.
That experience is exactly what the Steelers hope can finally stabilize a position that has lacked a long-term answer since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2022.
Rodgers and McCarthy enjoyed a highly successful run in Green Bay from 2006–18, highlighted by a Super Bowl XLV victory — notably against the Steelers — and multiple MVP seasons. McCarthy said he has spoken with Rodgers, who is taking time to decide whether he wants to continue playing.
Rodgers, 42, showed he still has something left last season, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns while helping Pittsburgh win the AFC North. McCarthy said he viewed Rodgers as “a great asset” while watching the team from afar.
Yet the contrast was striking: when discussing quarterback development, McCarthy focused exclusively on Howard and the process of building a young passer, not on managing a veteran star.
Could it be because the organization appears less willing to wait indefinitely on Rodgers than it did a year ago? According to Steelers insider Jeff Hathorn, general manager Omar Khan has informed Rodgers that the team needs a decision within a month, before free agency begins.
Given the lack of proven alternatives on the free-agent market or via trade, the deadline underscores Pittsburgh’s desire for clarity and aligns with McCarthy’s emphasis on structure, planning, and development.
Whether Rodgers returns or not, McCarthy’s priorities are already clear. The Steelers hired him not just to manage the present, but to help shape their quarterback future, and Will Howard is firmly at the center of that vision.
