Steelers Now
Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden is very bullish on Pittsburgh Steelers second-year quarterback Will Howard. Despite not playing a snap in the league yet, Gruden thinks the former Ohio State Buckeye is a future star in the NFL.
Gruden revealed on Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast that he sees Brad Johnson-like traits in Howard. Johnson was Gruden’s quarterback when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in 2002.
“I think you see, probably closer than anybody that the guy has the it factor,” Gruden said. “He’s got very good charisma, he’s smart, he’s a great communicator. He’s got some talent and I’m just hoping he gets a shot at some point with the Steelers. He’s got that winning aura that I think a lot of people covet.
“I compared Brad [Johnson] to Will Howard, honestly,” Gruden added. “Brad was a bull. We called him the bull because he was tough as hell. He took a lot of shots. He was a great pocket passer, great communicator, and he was loyal to the team. He didn’t say anything negative, nothing bothered him. He was mentally and physically tough.”
This is not the first time that Gruden praised Howard. He also raved about the former Ohio State quarterback during a radio appearance on 93.7 The Fan in November.
“I love Will Howard. I’m thankful that he is up. I’m shocked that he’s gonna be on the bench much longer,” Gruden said. “I just think he has everything that you’re looking for. We won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson. He’s got that prototype size I like. He’s 6-4, he’s 225, 230. He’s built like a horse. I mean, he’s a big guy [who] can run the ball. You can run the quarterback power plays and all these quarterback draws that everybody likes to run. He can keep it on the zone read. He’s an accurate passer.”
Gruden said he told Steelers general manager Omar Khan that he got an absolute steal in Howard.
“He won big at Kansas State when they won the Big 12,” Gruden said. “He won the national title. He has that wow factor. He has a photographic memory. He’s a great communicator. I will be shocked if he is not one hell of an NFL QB. I told a couple of my friends in Pittsburgh, I told Omar Khan that I can’t believe you got this guy in the sixth round.”
Gruden also had Howard on his “Gruden’s QB Class” prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, so he had a front row seat to what Howard is all about.
Howard, a sixth-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2025, was active for just one game (against the Chicago Bears) in his rookie campaign. He played zero snaps. Howard sustained a fractured right (throwing) hand pinky finger early in training camp. The injury caused him to miss the entire preseason and started the season on injured reserve. He was activated on Nov. 12.
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