Steelers quarterback Will Howard suffers a broken finger and might be sidelined during preseason
The Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback, Will Howard, is facing an unexpected setback as he recovers from an injury to his throwing hand. The injury, sustained during a training camp practice in Latrobe, Pa., has kept him out of the preseason games, potentially altering the backup quarterback competition.
Howard, a 23-year-old drafted in the sixth round of April's NFL draft, was hoping to compete for the backup quarterback job to Aaron Rodgers in the preseason games. However, his injury has put a hold on those plans. The NFL Network reported that Howard will miss at least three weeks, but no further details about the nature or severity of the injury have been reported.
Currently out indefinitely, according to The Athletic, Howard's injury has created a vacancy in the Steelers' quarterback depth chart. The team, as of the time of the report, has not announced a replacement for Howard.
With Howard sidelined, the Steelers may lean more on veteran Mason Rudolph and rising contender Skylar Thompson to fill the backup duties. Thompson, who has impressed during the preseason, is viewed as a strong competitor for the backup spot, possibly challenging Rudolph for the QB2 role.
Howard's college statistics also play a significant role in his profile. In four seasons at Kansas State and one at Ohio State, he accumulated a total of 9,796 yards, 83 touchdowns, and 35 interceptions. His college career culminated in a national championship with the Ohio State Buckeyes in his lone season at the school. In his final season, he threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 16 games.
The injury occurred as Howard took the ball from the center during training camp practice. Despite Howard's absence, the Steelers currently list Aaron Rodgers as the starter, Mason Rudolph as the primary backup, and Howard as the third-string quarterback, despite Howard having no official playing time so far.
This dynamic changes the competition and could influence personnel decisions as the team approaches the regular season. The Steelers have not yet announced a replacement for Howard, but the competition for the backup quarterback position is heating up with Thompson's impressive performances in the preseason.
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