Pittsburgh used a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft to select Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, adding him to a QB room that includes veteran backups Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. None of them is considered a viable starter for the 2025 season, leaving the Steelers with no choice but to continue hoping that Rodgers signs with them.

"As the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on the opportunity to draft a quarterback early in the 2025 draft, they opted for Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round, recognizing the need for a fallback if negotiations with veteran Aaron Rodgers fall through," Hadley wrote.

For a piece published late Sunday night, ESPN's Brooke Pryor made note of the Pittsburgh Steelers "passing on a quarterback four times before finally selecting 24-year-old developmental prospect Will Howard out of Ohio State in the sixth round" of the 2025 NFL Draft.