Aaron Rodgers praises Steelers' Will Howard as his 'right-hand man'

The veteran QB says the young QB has the mental processing skills to have a long NFL career.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Aaron Rodgers has high praise for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard, calling him his "right-hand man" and saying he has the intelligence and processing ability to be a consistent starter in the NFL for a long time. Rodgers mentored Howard throughout the 2025 season, with Howard breaking down defensive signals and coverages alongside the veteran QB.

Why it matters

Rodgers' endorsement of Howard carries a lot of weight, as the veteran QB has had a highly successful career, winning two MVPs. The Steelers are hoping Howard can develop into their quarterback of the future, and Rodgers' positive assessment of Howard's mental processing skills is an encouraging sign for the young QB's potential.

The details

Rodgers said he went to Howard early in the 2025 season and offered to mentor him as much as he wanted, wanting Howard to "see the game the way I see it." Rodgers praised Howard's intelligence and ability to break down defensive signals and coverages, calling him his "right-hand man" in those areas. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Omar Khan have also been impressed with Howard's practice film, likely due in part to his work alongside Rodgers.

  • In the 2025 NFL season, Rodgers mentored Howard throughout the year.

The players

Aaron Rodgers

A veteran NFL quarterback who has won two MVP awards and is considering retirement after the 2025 season.

Will Howard

A young quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers who was mentored by Rodgers in 2025 and is seen as a potential quarterback of the future for the team.

Mike McCarthy

The head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who has been impressed by Howard's practice film.

Omar Khan

The general manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who has also been impressed by Howard's practice film.

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What they’re saying

“Will, in general, I think has what it takes from a personality and a moxie standpoint to have a long career in the league. And you never know what's going to happen until live bullets start flying, but I went to him early in the season and I said, 'Listen, I'll help you as much or as little as you want… because I want you to see the game the way I see it. And I want you to be thinking about the things a young player should be thinking about.' I'm a big Will Howard, not just fan as a human, but believer as a player. And when his time comes, he's going to be more than capable of being, not just a consistent starter, but a guy who can stick in the league for a long, long time.”

— Aaron Rodgers (The Pat McAfee Show)

“From an intelligence standpoint and processing the presnap stuff, I think he's gonna be great at that. He was my right-hand man with all the signals this year and he was phenomenal at it. He sat next to me every meeting. He was sitting next to me in the quarterback room, he was sitting next to me in the big room when we went offense, and I loved it.”

— Aaron Rodgers (The Pat McAfee Show)

What’s next

The Steelers will continue to work with Will Howard this offseason as they look to develop him into their quarterback of the future.

The takeaway

Rodgers' glowing endorsement of Will Howard's mental processing skills and potential to be a long-term starter in the NFL is a major boost for the young quarterback's prospects. The Steelers are clearly high on Howard and are hoping he can develop into their next franchise QB with the guidance of veteran mentors like Rodgers.