Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard at practice on Oct. 22, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes the Will Howard hype is just smoke and mirrors. Instead of Howard, Florio thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers are eyeing Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the draft.
“I think they’re trying to keep their cards close to the vest in hopes that Ty Simpson slips to them,” Florio said on his Pro Football Talk podcast. “All that Will Howard stuff is just smoke. I think they’d like to get Ty Simpson and Aaron Rodgers based on some stuff I heard instead yesterday. Rodgers plays for one more year, then Simpson takes over.”
Simpson, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 211 pounds, has been compared to San Francisco 49ers passer Mac Jones.
“Simpson is mechanically sound from a footwork and release perspective, providing a favorable foundation to work from,” NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in the same scouting report. “He’s above average as a processor and decision-maker, but timing and anticipation remain works in progress.”
Simpson spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine about meeting with the Steelers.
“Coach McCarthy’s the guy, man,” Simpson said. “It was funny. We’d go in there, ask a couple questions, and we were just talking ball, going back and forth, talking about past concepts, talking about protection, talking about situations. And it was cool to see all the quarterbacks he’s worked with, with Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgers, and then situations that’s come up in his career that he asked me about what I thought about it.
“By the time that we were finished, it felt like five minutes just because of how much fun we had. So I love Coach McCarthy, love the Steelers. I love those guys and I’m super excited to get to know them.”
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) looks to pass during the fourth quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec 6, 2025. — Brett Davis/Imagn ImagesCredit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
While former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is a staunch supporter of Howard, many are skeptical of the sixth-round quarterback panning out in the NFL.
According to Alan Saunders of Steelers Now, from 2000-24, there were 50 NFL quarterbacks drafted in the sixth round. One won a Super Bowl. Only five became a regular starter. 56% never started a single game. 40% never threw for a single yard.
To say the least, Howard’s chances of succeeding in the NFL are very slim. Despite the odds, Roethlisberger thinks some talking heads are treating the young quarterback out of Ohio State unfairly.
“And you are giving Will Howard a chance,” Roethlisberger said. “I know there are some people out there on the radio and stuff that are just totally against him. I don’t get it. How can you be against somebody you have never seen play at this level? Like you just can’t. It’s just who they are I guess,” Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast.
Mentioned In This Article: Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers Steelers News Ty Simpson Will Howard