Will Howard’s decision to transfer from Kansas State to the Ohio State Buckeyes was a prime example of the transfer portal working out in a big way for both sides. Howard was the leader and playmaker the Buckeyes needed to win the College Football Playoff last season, and he boosted his draft stock in the process.
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2025 NFL Draft knowing they needed a quarterback, but selecting one early never materialized. They found Howard in the sixth round, though his acclimation to the team was slowed by a broken finger suffered during training camp that forced him to miss the entire preseason.
Pittsburgh has its quarterback for this season in Aaron Rodgers, but what comes after remains to be seen. One former NFL head coach who has gotten to know Howard believes he might be exactly what the Steelers need down the road.
“I love Will Howard,” Jon Gruden told 93.7 The Fan on Thursday. “I am thankful that he is up. I will be surprised if Will Howard is on the bench much longer. He’s got everything you want in a quarterback. We won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson. He’s got that prototype size I like — he’s 6’4”, 225-230, and built like a horse. I mean, this is a big guy. He can run the ball, he can keep it on the zone read, he’s an accurate passer. He’s a winner, man. This guy is a winner.”
Will Howard might have missed physical time on the football field for the Steelers, but he took advantage of every mental rep he could find while rehabbing his throwing hand. So much so that Steelers OC Arthur Smith even gave him the nickname “Coach Will.” But now, player Will is back. After returning to practice a few weeks ago, the Steelers officially activated him from the injured reserve this week, and he is fully back in the mix.
Internally, the Steelers were very happy to have selected Howard as late as the sixth round. However, their actions don’t necessarily match their words. Despite the growing belief among a contingent of Steelers fans, Pittsburgh is still very much in the process of finding its next signal caller. At nearly every big game this year where a top-flight quarterback prospect is playing, the Steelers have sent a scout, if not multiple.
That doesn’t mean Will Howard isn’t a suitable backup with starter upside. I think that’s his exact role. Perhaps in an open competition, he proves to be even better. It would be unwise to limit Howard’s ceiling, but the Steelers are still searching for a QB of the future.
The storm surrounding the New York Yankees’ offseason just got louder. Following reports that owner Hal Steinbrenner has ordered the front office to slash payroll below $300 million for 2026, a former Yankees manager has spoken out — and his words have struck deep within the Bronx faithful.
“The Yankees I knew were built on pride, not profit,” he said firmly. “They’re trying to build a money machine instead of a team that represents what the Yankees spirit used to be.”
His comments come as the organization faces growing backlash for tightening budgets despite generating over $728 million in revenue last year, the second-highest in Major League Baseball. Fans have accused Steinbrenner of prioritizing financial efficiency over championships, especially after the team’s early playoff exit to the Blue Jays reignited the frustration of a 16-year title drought.
“When you walk into that clubhouse, you should feel history — Mantle, Jeter, Rivera, all those names meant something,” he continued. “Now, you walk in and it feels like a spreadsheet. It’s sad to say, but that fire — that edge — it’s fading.”
While he stopped short of naming Steinbrenner directly, his message was unmistakable: the Yankees have lost touch with the bold, win-at-all-costs identity once personified by Hal’s father, George Steinbrenner.
Several former players and local columnists have echoed the sentiment, suggesting that Hal’s cost-cutting mandate risks undermining morale inside the organization and alienating a fan base already weary of corporate decision-making.