Steelers’ Will Howard Gets Positive News Ahead of Bears Matchup
As Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin likes to say, one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity. That certainly could be the case for rookie quarterback Will Howard this week.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers will not practice to begin Week 12 because of a fracture in his left wrist. Rodgers could still play Sunday against the Chicago Bears. But Mason Rudolph will run the first-team offense at Wednesday’s practice.
Howard could see some reps with the first-team too.
“In the meanwhile, certainly it’ll provide opportunities for Mason and Will to get quality work as we start the week, and I think that’s the posture that we’re in,” Tomlin told reporters toward the beginning of his Tuesday press conference.
Howard getting first-team offense reps at practice could be tremendous for his development.
When asked specifically about Howard practicing with the first team, Tomlin indicated it was a possibility.
“We’ll see,” Tomlin told reporters. “We’ll see where the week goes.”
Will Howard to See Opportunity With Aaron Rodgers Sidelined
To be clear, Rodgers fracturing a bone in his left wrist is not good news for the Steelers overall. A big reason why the team is 6-4 is because of the 4-time MVP’s leadership and efficiency.
With Rodgers behind center, the Steelers have greatly improved in the red zone this season. The team has been able to navigate a poor time of possession and low number of plays to have a serviceable offensive output on the scoreboard.
But Rodgers not being able to practice before the Week 12 matchup against the Bears is great fortune for Howard. The rookie signal caller missed the entire preseason because of his own hand injury. So, any reps he gets the rest of the year could be crucial to his development.
The timing of Rodgers’ injury couldn’t be any better for Howard. The rookie quarterback just came off injured reserve on November 12.
Granted, Pittsburgh’s primary objective this week will be getting Rudolph ready to face Chicago. Howard’s practice opportunities will likely only be tied to having him prepared enough in case he has to play versus the Bears.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly reminded Steelers fans of that fact on X on Tuesday.
“If Will Howard gets ‘first team reps’ this week, it will be very few and be just in case Rodgers is out and Rudolph gets hurt in the game,” Kaboly posted. “It doesn’t mean he has a chance to start over Mason.”
But again, any chances the rookie receives in practice is good for his career in the long term.
Mike Tomlin Complimentary of Howard
The rookie quarterback came off injured reserve just a week ago. But the Steelers opened his 21-day practice window on October 22.
Even before that, Howard was studying Rodgers from the sideline. Tomlin told reporters Tuesday the rookie’s work has been very good.
“He’s a sharp guy. Like the general trajectory of his work,” Tomlin told reporters. “He’s certainly in the position that he’s in, doesn’t get a lot of quote/unquote, ‘Steelers reps,’ but the reps that he does get he has taken advantage of, and I’m sure there will be an uptick in those opportunities this week.”
That will surely excite Steelers fans. But as Kaboly stated, though, there’s no doubt that Rudolph is QB2 behind Rodgers.
Steelers Preparing for Aaron Rodgers to Miss Extended Time?
While the initial prognosis on Aaron Rodgers' left wrist injury has been rather promising, the Pittsburgh Steelers still seem to be looking into their options just in case he remains sidelined for an extended period of time.
According to the NFL's transaction log, the Steelers hosted quarterbacks Jason Bean and Tanner Mordecai for workouts while Rodgers' status for the team's Week 12 bout with the Chicago Bears is hanging in the balance.
Bean played parts of six collegiate seasons at North Texas (2018 - 2020) and Kansas (2021 - 2023), throwing for 5,969 yards, 55 touchdowns and 26 interceptions over that span. He spent all of last season on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad as a rookie before being let go at final roster cuts by the team this past August.
Mordecai, meanwhile, played at Oklahoma (2018 - 2020), SMU (2021 - 2022) and Wisconsin (2023). He threw for 9,857 yards and 85 yards over those six years before spending the 2024 campaign on the San Francisco 49ers' practice squad and being waived/injured by them in August.
How Bean and Mordecai Could Factor Into Steelers' Plans
At the moment, Pittsburgh doesn't have a signal caller on its practice squad. Logan Woodside had previously been with the team in that capacity, but he was let go on October 21.
With Rodgers nursuing his injury, the Steelers don't have another fully healthy reserve option behind center outside of Mason Rudolph and rookie Will Howard.
Rudolph would be in line to start vs. Chicago after playing the entire second half of the Steelers' Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. As for Howard, he was just activated from the reserve/injured list last week and has yet to appear in either a preseason or regular season contest after suffering a hand injury on a center exchange during training camp in early August.
Both Bean and Mordecai could come in and provide depth at quarterback for the Steelers as they navigate Rodgers' ailment.
Are Steelers Preparing for an Extended Absence?
Though Rodgers' injury won't require surgery, head coach Mike Tomlin stated that his status for this weekend's game against the Bears will depend on his perceived effectiveness as well as how well his wrist can be secured.
"Really, it's just about bracing it and securing it for his comfort and safety, and then it's about how functional he is," Tomlin said during his weekly press conference, per Steelers.com's Jim Wexell. "We don't have the answers to that as we stand here today, but certainly I would imagine we're going to get some clarity as we push through the week."
Rodgers isn't expected to practice to begin the week, though not much will be known about his true readiness until his game designation is revealed on the final injury report of the week.
The Steelers have no real reason to push their luck with the 41-year-old quarterback, especially considering Rudolph's prior experience in the league with both them and the Tennessee Titans.
It's possible that Rodgers could sit out in Chicago and be reevaluated ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 13 matchup with the Buffalo Bills, but it doesn't appear he's dealing with a long-term issue, and it does help that his injury is on his non-throwing wrist.
The Steelers' interest in Bean and Mordecai is more so them doing their due diligence and looking into insurance options who are practice squad candidates rather than being indicative of Rodgers' status.
