Even with drafting Ohio State’s Will Howard, the Pittsburgh Steelers are betting a lot on getting Aaron Rodgers. The offseason has been a rollercoaster from trading for DK Metcalf to leaving the quarterback position largely unaddressed.
Steelers’ Rodgers Bet Sparks Fan Fury as Experts Defend the Risky Decision
It’s draft weekend, which means fans of all teams are expected to be as loud as possible about their happiness or discontent with their team’s roster construction. Ahead of the draft this week, many fans and bettors believed that Shedeur Sanders would be the Steelers’ next quarterback.
As the Shedeur Sanders slide began and other quarterbacks were being drafted early, it became clear that the Steelers may have different intentions for their future under center. Warren Sharp took to X and shared this.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers still have a FEELING OF CONFIDENCE that Aaron Rodgers is going to wind up in Pittsburgh.
That has contributed to their decision to bypass a QB in the draft.”
Adam Schefter just now
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 26, 2025
The comment section had a lot to say on this matter. The responses ranged, but the overarching message was the same. Aaron Rodgers is not a long-term solution, and Steelers fans are getting restless over the continually fluid quarterback situation over the past several years.
The plan came more into focus on Saturday when the Steelers selected Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.
With the 185th pick in the 2025 #NFLDraft, we select QB Will Howard. pic.twitter.com/tl0HQ3BaL6
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 26, 2025
Whether this was the Steelers’ plan all along or if it simply got to a spot where they thought Howard was too good to pass up, we may never know for sure. What I can tell you is that there are still many Steelers fans on X who are not satisfied. There are a slew of comments from fans that expect them to dip back into the draft pool next year.
The comments on the Howard pick continue to range too. Many believe Howard is not the answer, some shared the hope that this would mean Rodgers would not don a Steelers uniform, while some think he could be a major steal.
FanDuel asked if the Steelers are back.
In the short term, it’s hard to bank on Aaron Rodgers turning back the clock. Two years ago, he missed the entire season, and last year was his worst QB rating in a season where he played more than three games.
Will Howard had the third-highest passer rating in the nation last year, the sixth-most yards, and won a national title.
The question is whether that was a product of the team and coaching around him, or his abilities. The scouting report on Howard is that he was often protected at OSU by wide-open receivers and a scheme that limited the amount of reading he needed to do.
KEEP READING: Way-Too-Early 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Steelers fans may be right. This may just be a dart throw, and the real plan is to draft a quarterback high next season. What we know for sure is that they are growing impatient for their team to find a long-term fit at quarterback, and most don’t feel like that was taken care of this offseason.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
