Will Howard’s audition for a spot on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 53-man roster hit a rough patch Friday night. The second-year quarterback out of Ohio State threw two interceptions and took a sack in the first half against the New York Jets, a shaky follow-up to the sharp preseason opener that had made him the No. 1 trending name in football just days earlier.
Howard, Pittsburgh’s sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft, entered the week with real momentum. He lit up the Green Bay Packers in the preseason opener, and head coach Mike McCarthy rewarded him with the start against the Jets and confirmation that no veteran quarterbacks — not Aaron Rodgers, not Mason Rudolph — would see the field. It was framed as Howard’s clearest runway yet to separate himself in a crowded quarterback room.
A Shaky Night Against New York
The results didn’t match the buildup. Howard completed 10 of 15 passes for just 74 yards in the first half, a 4.9 yards-per-attempt clip that reflects how little the Steelers’ offense found a rhythm. Jets safety Andre Cisco jumped a throw intended for wide receiver Roman Wilson over the middle for one interception, and cornerback Samuel Womack III picked off a similar throw to Wilson later in the half for New York’s second takeaway of the night. Edge rusher David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, also got home for a sack, bull-rushing past right tackle Marquis Hayes to drag Howard down on third-and-8 and force a punt. Pittsburgh trailed 7-0 at halftime, still searching for its first points of the night.
It was a stark contrast to Howard’s outing in the preseason opener, when he went 10 of 13 for 153 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay — the kind of efficient, mistake-free performance that had scouts and fans buzzing about his chances of locking down a job behind Rodgers. Ohio State fans remember Howard as the steady hand who led the Buckeyes to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship, throwing for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions in his senior season. The pro game has proven a tougher adjustment, and Friday night was a reminder of how thin the margin for error is in a quarterback competition this crowded.
Why This Game Matters for the 53-Man Roster
The stakes behind Friday’s game go well beyond one preseason box score. McCarthy has already signaled that Rudolph, not Howard, will hold down the No. 2 job behind Rodgers this season — a vote of confidence that pushes Howard and rookie third-round pick Drew Allar into a direct fight for the third quarterback spot. With Rodgers and Rudolph both sitting out against the Jets, this was billed as a two-man audition between Howard and Allar, with Allar tabbed to follow Howard into the game.
That dynamic is exactly why Friday’s interceptions carry extra weight. Howard was widely seen as the leader in that competition given his extra year in the system and his rapport with Rodgers, who mentored him as a rookie. A clean, decisive performance against the Jets would have gone a long way toward silencing any doubts. Instead, the turnovers open the door — even if only slightly — for Allar to make up ground before Pittsburgh’s roster cuts arrive. Bettors watching NFL odds for this preseason matchup saw the Jets favored, and Howard’s rocky half did little to change that outlook.
Pittsburgh still has preseason action remaining before final roster decisions are due, giving Howard another chance to answer for Friday’s mistakes. But with McCarthy already committed to Rudolph as the primary backup, the margin between Howard and Allar for that third job is razor thin — and nights like this one are exactly what will decide it. For a fan base that has watched Howard closely since his college days, the next few weeks will determine whether he heads into the regular season with real standing in Pittsburgh’s plans or watches it from the outside looking in.
