Tim Benz: Can't hold Steelers fans to a higher standard of QB logic than what the franchise has shown

If the Steelers aren’t going to use logic while building their quarterback depth chart, I suppose I shouldn’t be critical of the team’s fans for how they are responding to the instability at the position.

That said, man, this Will Howard phenomenon sure is something, isn’t it?

Howard was drafted in the sixth round out of Ohio State, 185th overall. Yet social media momentum is already building for him to be the team’s starter in his rookie season.

Pittsburgh should let Will Howard start all 17

— Addison Hayes (@amazehayes_) May 8, 2025

I would start will Howard next season but that's just me

— Stardust Redding ⭐️ (@StardustRedding) April 29, 2025

Start Will Howard, and let's see what we have on him! if he ain't good, fine, we will drat top 10 next year! If he turns out to be THE guy, great, we have found our QB! A Win Win situation!

— Larwsk Hayann (@larwsk) May 7, 2025

I really hope Will Howard gets the chance to start

— Andrew (@AndrewKindaLFTS) April 26, 2025

Now I don’t care what happens with Rodgers. Honestly, I'd rather start Will Howard and let the season unfold.

— bucketz_prod (@BucketzP) May 7, 2025

Start Will Howard I’m dead serious

— Xavier (@XavierRoshon) April 27, 2025

You are? Really?

Howard has a ton of good qualities. He’s a winner, having claimed a national championship with the Buckeyes last season. He’s got command of the huddle. He threw for more than 4,000 yards and completed 73% of his passes last year, with 35 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He’s polished and poised with the media.

“I just want to come here. I want to learn. I want to get better,” Howard said after Friday’s rookie minicamp session. “Who knows what happens? I’m just worried about myself, learning and getting better through the process.”

Most importantly, he cried tears of joy when he was drafted by the Steelers.

Will Howard even got his mom to jump into the pool after being drafted by the @steelers
???????? #HeyRookiepic.twitter.com/dZG7Y7bK2c

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) April 29, 2025

I mean, that’s worth at least two wins over the Ravens and the team’s first playoff victory in almost a decade, right?

Pfft! Forget months of advanced scouting and analysis. A little social media emotional manipulation and NFL Films propaganda can erase all that in a matter of seconds.

Clearly, the Steelers should just hand over the keys to a guy who the whole league passed on 184 times without him even throwing a pass in full practice pads.

Already, roughly a quarter of Steelers fans think Howard should be the starter out of the gate.

Updating a pre-Draft poll...What is your preference at this point for the #Steelers at QB to open 2025?

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) May 12, 2025

A month ago, when I asked that same question, any option besides Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph or Russell Wilson (before he went to New York), only got 8% of the vote.

What is your preference at this point for the #Steelers at QB to open 2025?

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) March 14, 2025

I’d imagine that those who voted for “other” were thinking more along the lines of Jaxson Dart, Shedeur Sanders, Tyler Shough or even Kirk Cousins. Not Will Howard.

However, Howard has one thing as an advantage over those guys that didn’t previously exist.

He’s actually here. He’s reality. He’s not a theoretical. Rodgers still is.

Whatever limitations Howard may have are unknown right now. The only thing that is known is that he hasn’t thrown an interception at Acrisure Stadium.

Yet.

Mason Rudolph has. So that’s good enough for Team Howard.

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Hey, he’s a successful Big Ten QB drafted in the sixth round. Obviously, he’s Tom Brady.

At least Howard appears to have a better grip than the rest of the public does.

“I understand that I am a rookie. I don’t know what I don’t know,” Howard said. “It’s a great (QB) room. I’m blessed to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Back to those two web polls, what did Rudolph do wrong over the past few weeks to lose some of his support? Do people dislike his new facial hair?

Like I said earlier, though, I shouldn’t be critical of how Steelers fans are reacting to this QB chaos. Just tracking this circus has turned our brains to mush.

The organization said it wanted to keep Wilson or Justin Fields. Both were allowed to walk out the door to New York teams. We’ve been waiting on a Rodgers decision for two months now. They appear willing to let Rudolph be the starter when they barely wanted him as a third-stringer two years ago. Mike Tomlin made Sanders sound like he was a better football player than his dad, only to pass on him in the draft four times. They flirted with every draftable QB worth a darn in the entire selection process.

At this point, how are we supposed to determine the difference between fandom and folly? When it comes to the QB position in Pittsburgh, those things are basically the same thing.

So, sure. Get the “We Want Will! We Want Will!” chants ready for the sixth rounder during the preseason opener in August. Stranger things have happened.

As I’m sure others will, between now and then.