PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard is back at practice and his 21-day window to return from injured reserve is now open.
Howard, who suffered a broken hand training camp, will have until November 12 to be activated from injured reserve or he will be out for the rest of the season.
The injury occurred on a freak snap exchange during an August practice, causing Howard to miss the entire preseason and the first four weeks of the season.
Quarterbacks coach Tom Arth says that if Howard is slated to return, he looks great, and is ready to come back at a moment’s notice.
“Will [Howard] has handled the injury as a professional, just as we would expect him to. Really appreciative of our athletic training staff, our strength and conditioning staff. They’ve done a fantastic job working with Will,” Arth said. “I think he’s in great shape right now. He’s been in as good a shape as he’s been since he’s been a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
Howard, a former Ohio State star and Pennsylvania native, is in his first season with the Steelers after being drafted by Pittsburgh in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
He impressed in his limited time at training camp before the injury, and was on track to win the QB3 job. However, zero in-game reps for Howard is a splash of cold water on any thoughts about Howard.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.