Will Howard is HONORED to learn behind Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh 🤝 | The Pat McAfee Show

Will Howard is HONORED to learn behind Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh 🤝 | The Pat McAfee Show

Joining us now is a man who’s 6’7, maybe 7 foot tall, and he’s a he’s a national champion at this particular institution. He’s a guy who’s a currently a Pittsburgh Steeler. Ladies and gentlemen, wo hard. Well, you get down there. Well, hey, strong dep with that thumb. Just I just would like to let everybody know that was a very, very strong strong D. You can move in a little bit if you want. Inside that helmet. Yeah, here we go. Let’s see if we got you. What’s up, gentlemen? Oh yeah, he looks tall right there. Dude, how are you doing? No, you’re good. Uh, cameraman, can you just uh Buck, can you have AJ and Will on that particular shot? So, I’ll be like, cameraman, you look tall. You look tall. You don’t look that bad. You look pretty tall. I got down six in. Yeah, very kind of you to do that. Uh, Will, thank you for joining us. This your first time back uh since being drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah. Uh I I think I stopped by for a little bit uh in like July, but really first time being back, you know, obviously um under under these circumstances with a with a big game on the line. Um you know, I think it was like a two-day thing that I stopped by for. So, it’s good to be back, man. It feels like home. How does it Yeah, you said it feels like home. Obviously, you transfer in here and have this magical run last year, which had a couple, you know, obstacles in it, obviously early in the season at Oregon. We don’t have to talk about the whole thing that happened on this particular field, but then you guys became the hottest team in football. We were watching some highlights uh from last year’s game day and from last year whenever we were doing a Simocast and it was evident to us that you guys were the best football team in America like you guys steamrololled through that playoff run. What did it feel like in the moment and when did you guys know that you were uh proverbally in your bag, if you will, last year? Cuz we saw it immediately it felt like. Yeah, it’s I mean, you know, obviously all the things that we went through throughout the season, you know, it wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t how we drew it up, you know, losing that Oregon, losing here, uh, you know, to that team up north. But I think all those things that we did go through really did set us up for that run. And I think, you know, once we kind of came out in that Tennessee game, uh, you know, and we started, you know, putting it on those guys and then the Rose Bowl came and, you know, we we start making some plays. I felt really confident going into both of those games, but really I think I was after that Rose Bowl or during that Rose Bowl where we we all kind of looked at each other like, “All right, man.” Like, nobody’s stopping us right now, just the way that we’re playing and, you know, the way that we were clicking on all cylinders. Um, I mean, it was a hell of a run. It was it was one of the most memorable four games that, you know, I think a lot of people could say they have been through. And, um, so I’ll cherish it for a long time, but I learned a lot throughout that whole run of, you know, that the playoffs. And you know, obviously nobody thought we were going to do anything for those first three weeks leading up to the Tennessee game. And then, you know, we really found it in ourselves and and uh it’s a credit to the the leaders that we had on that team last year and the seniors and all those guys that came back and I’m just excited to to watch these guys run it back and and hopefully do it again this year, man. What’s your relationship like with coach Ryan Day? Cuz obviously he was under immense amount of pressure just being the Ohio State coach. That’s going to happen. I think every Ohio person understands. Got to win every game. Yeah. The job is going to be difficult. But all right. Yeah. And obviously that is I don’t I don’t think it’s unique just to Ohio, but here I think it is vastly different than I mean it’s every citizen in the state of Ohio is expecting the Buckeyes to win every single game. Every coach that has been here has won a national championship. Ryan, what have you done? What have you done? What have you done? Is all he was feeling. I think you guys had a team meeting or a player meeting or something and you guys really It was like a gut check type situation from what I’ve been told. Ryan Day kind of how he was being viewed and talked about. How did that kind of motivate you guys or generate you your energy? And how was the re relationship through playoffs with him? Because he was getting thrown under every bus in the state of Ohio. I think elementary school, junior high, high school buses. I don’t have the same relationship that maybe a Jack Sawyer or an AMCA, you know, coming into the season had with him. But coming out of it, I feel like honestly I I mean, we all were in that thing together last year. And you know, Ryan Day, like he he gave me a chance. And I kind of think about, you know, what what I owed to him and, you know, he when he when I sat down with him coming out of the transfer portal process and and how he, you know, really took me in and wanted to make me a better player, like I felt like I owed him and and I made sure, you know, I was like, man, I got to I got to get back to this guy, man. Like he he’s given me so much. Um, you know, he’s given me this chance. Like I can’t let him down. And you know, we all obviously, you know, you don’t want to listen to the outside noise and everybody says that, you know, like they don’t go on social media, but we all you have to, you know, it’s 2024. It’s 2024. It it you know, it gets you and you see it. It’s true. Yeah. But but it you know, you hear it and you know, it pissed us off. you know, we didn’t I don’t wouldn’t say we used it as motivation, but you know, it did it it put a little chip on our shoulder and I think it it gave us really the spark that we needed like to come together and that like you said that players only meeting that we had, it was just all of us players and coach day and we hashing things out, you know, guys said their piece, you know, it was it got real, you know, and there was no sensitivity about it. Everyone was just honest. they they stated their case um and no one really got uptight about it and that I think how did it come about? Did the coach did coach day bring it in or how? So, yeah. So, the day after that, you know, after that day out here, um we got together as a leadership council and we talked and we were like, “Hey, we got to get we got to get this group of guys together and talk about it and just, you know, lay lay everything out on the table. You know, if anyone has any questions about how we did what we did on on on that day, what happened, why, you know, why does this keep happening kind of deal?” Um, you know, we wanted to hash all that stuff out and we went into that room and and I mean it it there were times where it got ugly. Um, you know, guys are yelling at each other and you know, tempers flared, but like at the end of it, we all came together and hand in hand in prayer and I feel like a moment like that is so defining for a team. Absolutely. a less mature group would have taken that and just I mean you know but we had such a good group of guys that were all mature and you know motivated and didn’t want that to be the the way that we were remembered and that was what we kept talking about like what’s our legacy going to be what do you want to be remembered for here at Ohio State and um you know we could use that last game to just crumble and make everything kind of fall on top of each other but like at the end of the day we were just like man we got to we got to we got to set the record straight and and go out here and we knew the only way that we could make what we did right is by winning a national championship. Crazy that it was all still available for you as the entire state was kind of crumbling. There was still this magical opportunity that everybody is hunting for. That is literally the only thing that is on the top of the mountain. You guys have it forever. Congratulations. That is a wonderful thing. Tone back at the Thunderdome has a question for you. Yeah. Well, first and foremost, uh I love you. Just wanted to get that out there. Just want to say that. Um first, secondly, can you can you grow a beer? cuz I know you’re giving me Big Ben vibes. When I was watching you the in the in practice and stuff like that, I got Big Ben vibes. And then thirdly, more importantly, how has uh how has this year’s expectations changed, if they have at all, um with the hand injury? Cuz um I know that that was a bummer and didn’t get to see you in preseason, but has anything changed as far as your role or expectations uh for this season? You know, I think all along I was looking at this season as a uh as a developmental year, and I think we all kind of were uh with the Steelers. Um, you know, obviously you don’t bring in Aaron Rogers for no reason. Like he he’s a he’s a guy that’s coming in to be the be the guy. Um, you know, at least for for this year for this year and and we don’t know what it’ll look like going forward. But, um, right now, you know, I’m I’m going into this season saying I want to learn everything I possibly can from from Aaron and just watch the way that he goes about his business. Like obviously, like you said, Tone, like I I it killed me that I couldn’t be out there for the preseason. and I felt like I was having a really good fall camp and wanted to kind of carry that into the preseason and show Steelers Nation um you know what I was capable of. But obviously um you know you got to you got to trust the plan and and you know God wasn’t didn’t want me out there this preseason for what reason. I I don’t know why, but uh I got to trust it and understand that, you know, this is all part of my development and uh in the long long term, in the grand scheme of things, um you know, I just got to keep working and um use this year as a developmental year. And on the on the facial hair note, I’m working on it. Uh I I I shall get back in on that buck. Can we get back in on that buck? The cameraman’s name is Buck. He’s from Canada. He’s got he’s got great control of the stick. I like the closeup there. That’s a little too close. But yeah, I went I went clean shaving this weekend. But hey, going forward tone, I I’ll think about I’ll think about you when I’m uh when I’m doing my in the mirror. Yeah, you got a nice baby face, brother. I think the entire thing. You’re like super jovial baby face. But we saw you out there dancing with the boys. We saw you out there dancing with the boys whenever you were uh doing your thing. They loved you. Uh new teammates I assume do as well. Go ahead, AJ. So Aaron Rogers obviously in the room with him. You get to see him on the field. I I guess what is it really like watching him operate on the field? Like even in walkthroughs. We were there for one day and I was peeking out the the window watching your guys’ walkthrough. I could just see his little how he just bounces down the field and he got I’m sure he got everything especially when he’s feeling good. You definitely know when he’s feeling good or if he’s pissed off out of the ground. Oh yeah. So like what is it like I guess what’s it been like to observe that not only meeting room but on the field just how he he commands the huddle and kind of has it has everybody like all on the same page. Yeah. I think that’s a that’s a great point. I think the the biggest thing about Aaron that that I have been like amazed by and I feel like when you think about Aaron Rogers, everyone talks about the arm strength and the arm talent and the ability that he has physically, but nobody talks about what he’s capable of up here up here and his his mental capacity for the game and the things that he’s thinking about every single play. Like just watching his process is crazy. like I mean all the cadence operation that he does and and just you know his knowledge of the game and the fronts and how that you know correlates to the pressures and the structures in the back end and I mean everything that he talks about it just makes sense and he has taught me a ton and he’s been super super open like even if he you know he has a a bad play at practice where he might be pissed off and you know if I ask him hey like what you know what was your thought process there like he he’ll come over to me no matter how pissed off he is and he’ll he’ll tell me and he’s very open with not just me but you know Skyler and Mason and everybody else on the offense. He’ll talk to a practice squad tight end the same that he talks to DK, you know. No, I already I swear. I mean I’m He’s He’s like, you know, he’s he’s a Well, no, he I mean he he gets on everybody and he he expects excellence and you know he he’s demanding and he’s a great leader. I’ve just it’s been great to just sit back and watch the way that he operates and um I’ve been learning from it and trying to pick his brain as much as I can. Yeah, smart. You’re even doing mimicking his motions on the field. Feels like you’re watching his every move. Feels like the right guy to do that with, especially with your leadership style, brother. We got to watch that on display. A lot of alphas on that team. You know, that could have went one way. Instead, it went the other with you being the guy that guides the ship to a national championship. Now, on that note, Connor has a question for you. Yeah, thank goodness it went the utter way. They will because it was nice to see you guys kind of just coast to a national championship. One of the guys on that team who’s going to be playing tomorrow, Jeremiah Smith. What is it like seriously playing with a dude like that? And as you’ve been in training camp in these preseason games, do you ever look on the field and say like, “Oh yeah, Jeremiah Smith’s better than that guy, that guy, that guy, that guy.” And then get to DK Medaf and think like, “Okay, that’s probably exactly what Jeremiah Smith is. Just an absolute freak of nature.” Yeah, it’s uh it’s a sight to behold, man. Like watching number four play football. Uh you know, both with the Steelers and with the with the Buckeyes. Um I mean, they’re both unbelievable players and they’re very very comparable uh in a lot of ways. Um but yeah, I mean JJ is he’s he’s a he’s a freak, man. And I was telling people before the season last year like this kid’s going to be one of the one of the best in the country as a freshman. And they were all like, you know, we’ll believe it when we see it. And I mean, I think everyone saw it pretty pretty loud and clear last year. I mean, he’s he’s unbelievable. I mean, he he can do everything. He’s big. Uh he catches freaking every every single ball you throw at him. I mean, I think when it’s all said and done, he he could very very well be and I know that’s saying a lot, but he could be one of the best to to ever do it. Um, but he he’s so talented and I’m excited to watch him ball out this week. Uh, obviously sad it’s not me throwing the ball to him, but I’m excited to watch Julian, too, man. I think I think those two are going to have a good connection and uh looking forward to it. What do you think about Julian? That’s my guy, man. He’s California. Cool. You know, he’s he’s um he’s got one of the best releases I’ve seen. Ball comes out pretty. Oh, it’s pretty, man. It sure is. I mean, he he can spin that thing and there’s no doubt about that. But I’m excited to go out there and watch his, you know, his demeanor and the way that he leads these boys like that. That’s, you know, when you really talk about being the quarterback of a football team, especially a football team like this, like that is one of the marquee things that you have to do is you got to lead those guys. You got to make sure that you’re taking them from from point A to point B every every single game and they’re riding with you. And I think I’m excited to see that come out of him, you know, cuz I know he has it inside of him and and I think he’s been developing that all camp and and I mean he can he physically like he’s up there with with everyone, but I’m I’m just excited to see him, you know, go out there and be the guy and and lead these guys, man. It’s uh I’m looking forward to it, man. Jules is a great kid. And is he tough? He’s got to be tough. Oh, yeah. It’s Ohio State. You got to be tough. They’re running the uh the little blow up smashy thingy out here on the field. I mean, it is nice. They I mean, they got Yep. Yep. Yeah. Boom. Boom. Eat some. Eat some. Got some legs in the air. This is preparation for one verse three. This is Ohio. This is uh this is what it’s all about. What perfect timing to cut to that. Ryan, great shot cuz uh really really awesome stuff. Ty has a question, I think, to follow up on everything we’re talking about with the quarterback. Yeah, Will. Obviously, you know, Julian and you had massively different paths, you know, ahead of your first start. Have you talked to him at all? Uh, in terms of like what can he expect on Saturday? I mean, your first game was against Akan, so it’s a little bit different, you know, and you’re not getting thrown right into the belly of the beast like he will against Texas. Uh, but have you talked to him? Have you given him any advice? And, you know, just like how much different was it for you putting on that Ohio State uniform for your first start? Yeah, it’s uh obviously very different circumstances for me and him, but I mean at the end of the day, it’s a football game, you know, and uh and I I told him and I, you know, I texted him when, you know, when the news officially came out and I’ I’ve you know, I I stay in contact with him and with Lincoln and all the quarterbacks really. I try to um but you know, the thing that I told him is, man, there’s there’s not a lot of people that that understand what we’re going through as as being the Ohio State quarterback. So, you know, I just said like if you ever need to talk to me about anything, you know, just let me know just like a lot of the guys ahead of me did for me. Um, you know, and and it’s a different place. You know, Ohio State being the guy, being the quarterback, there’s a lot of eyes, there’s a lot of pressure, but you can’t treat it like that. You got to just treat it like it’s another game. And, you know, obviously this being his first collegiate start, collegiate game, you know, it’s a big one. But, you know, I I I know that he has it in him and um that, you know, he he got to watch us go on that whole run last year and he was a part of it. So, he got to see really big games. So, I’m excited to see him go out there and take the step, you know, with with him actually doing it cuz I know he’s he’s a dude, man. He’s a stud. And uh No, he’s got a lot of weapons at his disposal. He’s too tall. He’s too tall, isn’t he? I was just shot here. Yeah. Yeah. You you you guys are kind of sisoing AJ a little bit. Sorry, AJ. I’m okay with that. I’m okay. I’m perfect size. My my forehead to go right into their chin. That’s what my kids call me short all the time. Like this exact height I wanted to be actually. Hey, that was a big thing I was talking about whenever it was going through the draft thing. By the way, shout out to you throwing at the hotel late at night Indianapolis. Yeah, somebody out of the blue called and said that like, yo, this guy’s out in the middle of a parking lot, middle of the night getting a throwing session in. Yeah, shout out to that guy. Uh, out of the blue, you said. But who was it? I just out of the blue was a very interesting way to put it. Who was it? Well, it was what I’m saying is it was not like a it wasn’t I didn’t follow up and say like, “Hey, if you see anything, Don time, let me know.” It was nowhere is what I’m saying. And then I got attacked. And then I got attacked for lying about you. But so I want to let you know like I I was a big supporter of yours through the whole draft process cuz I didn’t think you were getting enough love from what we watched with the playoff run and we were very we were first on the CJ Stra not the first but we saw CJ Stra play and we’re like that’s a Sunday guy right there like right in front of our eyes. I’ve had the opportunity with my position to stand on the sidelines of a lot of football games. Oh yeah. Okay. So with Simoc cast, I’m getting a chance to see a a lot of positions that I’ve been in before and like your side. I hope it all works out. I hope the thumb gets better. I like that he came in for a really strong dap here with me. Oh yeah. So we’re not worried about that, right? We feel good. Oh, good, man. It’s It’s, you know, I’m back to throwing this week, so it’s feeling good. Going in the right direction. But I really appreciate you guys, man. Seriously, like I saw I saw all the all the love and I do appreciate you guys, man. I You could have said something. I was getting Yeah. Thanks a lot. I should have spoke. Yeah. I mean, I was getting murdered out here, bro. I’m just letting you take it, man. I should actually It’s a reason why I like you. It’s cuz you did. Yeah. Hey, listen. I’m saying there’s no reason to add any spotlight, which is what I appreciate about you. You’re a superstar. You’re a national champion and you’re a cool dude. And uh I think your story is an inspiring one, and I can’t wait to see what you write for your professional career. and getting celebrated here this weekend. Uh I don’t not that I know of. I think we you know we all we kind of did that for the spring game when we had you know all our rings given out and all that cuz you know I know I know they want to focus on this year and beating the Longhorns. Oh you’re talking about hey new team this team hasn’t won anything. Don’t be a distraction will okay? Please don’t stay out the way. Ladies and gentlemen, national champion Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Willard. They will. Appreciate you guys, man. [Music]

Pittsburgh Steelers QB and 2025 College Football Playoff National Champion Ohio State Buckeye Will Howard joins The Pat McAfee Show live inside Ohio Stadium.

0:00 Welcome, Will!
1:39 Being a National Champion
2:55 Pressure on Ryan Day
6:41 “I love you…just wanted to get that out there.” – Tone
8:53 Learning from Aaron Rodgers
11:31 Comparing Jeremiah Smith to DK Metcalf
13:37 Interesting field games
16:41 Support during the draft

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