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Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch challenged Will Howard to go win the team’s starting job for 2026.<\/p>\n
Future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers<\/a> remains unsigned in the 2026 NFL offseason. That has left many pundits and Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> fans antsy about the team\u2019s quarterback situation. But it\u2019s a potential golden opportunity for second-year player Will Howard<\/a>.<\/p>\n Former Steelers quarterback and media personality Charlie Batch sees it that way for Howard. Without Rodgers on the roster, Batch challenged the young quarterback on his podcast to go show he deserves to start behind center in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now, Aaron [Rodgers] is a free agent,\u201d Batch said<\/a> on \u201cThe Snap Count\u201d podcast on Tuesday. \u201cProve that his is your job.<\/p>\n \u201cGo out there and take it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProve that this is your job. Go out there and take it.\u201d \ud83e\udef5 Win a FREE Bath: t.co\/xXhGL6AoFF<\/a> <\/p>\n With Rodgers remaining in free agency, Howard and veteran Mason Rudolph<\/a> are the two quarterbacks on Pittsburgh\u2019s offseason roster.<\/p>\n Could Will Howard Start if the Steelers Don\u2019t Re-Sign Aaron Rodgers? GettyWill Howard could compete for the starting quarterback job with the Pittsburgh Steelers if the team is unable to re-sign Aaron Rodgers.<\/p>\n The possibility the Steelers start Howard if Rodgers doesn\u2019t return is difficult to gauge. New head coach Mike McCarthy<\/a> and general manager Omar Khan have repeatedly hyped the 2025 sixth-rounder quarterback\u2019s potential this offseason.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople get caught up on what round he went in. If I was drafting players that year, he wouldn\u2019t have been around in the fifth or sixth round. I valued him higher than that based off Kansas State\u2026 man, I thought he jumped out of the TV set during the college playoffs,\u201d said McCarthy, via TribLive.com\u2019s Chris Adamski<\/a>.<\/p>\n But Howard has no NFL<\/a> experience. Because of a hand injury last August, he didn\u2019t even play in the preseason as a rookie.<\/p>\n Some Steelers fans have argued a fresh start with Howard behind center could be beneficial for the franchise. It would be a \u201csink or swim\u201d type situation, with the Steelers either finding their future quarterback or suffering a losing season, putting them in position to draft a signal-caller early next year.<\/p>\n But Steelers president Art Rooney II has often balked<\/a> publicly on not trying to put the best team together every year to be competitive.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to argue starting Howard would be the best option for the 2026 Steelers.<\/p>\n That could change, though, if the quarterback proves through the offseason and training camp that he deserves the opportunity.<\/p>\n Until Rodgers signs or the Steelers add another quarterback, that possibility exists in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n Howard Faces Obstacle to Starting for Steelers in 2026 GettyFormer Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch challenged Will Howard to go win the team\u2019s starting job for 2026.<\/p>\n In his last football game, Howard led Ohio State to a national championship.<\/p>\n Obviously, that was in college. Howard\u2019s lack of NFL experience makes him a bit of a long shot to start in 2026.<\/p>\n Batch argued, though, the lack of NFL game snaps might not even be the biggest issue Howard faces this offseason.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is playing catch-up. Because everything that he learned last year is not the same this year,\u201d Batch said on his podcast<\/a>. \u201cSo, he can\u2019t even go back and look at offseason tape and look at somebody else running this particular system.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause that was not happening here.\u201d<\/p>\n With that in mind, Howard is essentially starting from square one this offseason. He has no NFL game repetitions and zero experience with the Steelers new playbook.<\/p>\n The good news, though, is McCarthy is a more proven quarterback developer than previous head coach Mike Tomlin or offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. He also has any professional knowledge he learned watching Rodgers play for a full season last year.<\/p>\n Despite his lack of experience and familiarity with the playbook, Batch still challenged Howard to go prove he can start for the Steelers next season.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tDave Holcomb<\/a> is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a variety of other NFL teams. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Steelers\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t
\n@CharlieBatch16<\/a> believes this system gives Will Howard the perfect shot at QB1 \ud83d\udc40 Do you roll with him? #HereWeGo<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Aaron](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2219071110_2c0897.jpg\")
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