Leading up to the draft, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made it clear that they plan to add two more quarterbacks before camp. Pittsburgh now has Howard, Mason Rudolph, and Skylar Thompson, but lacks a starter to rely on after making Howard the only quarterback they took in the draft.

The Pittsburgh Steelers waited until the sixth round to draft their quarterback, snapping up Ohio State’s Will Howard. But why did they wait so long and pass up players like Jalen Milroe, Shedeur Sanders, and others? Mike Tomlin explains that they like their plan at the spot, even though there is angst in the fan base.

Howard was the first quarterback the Steelers selected in the NFL draft since Kenny Pickett's class. In 2022, Tomlin's team picked Pickett in the first round and South Dakota State Jackrabbits signal-caller Chris Oladokun in the seventh round.