"As the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on the opportunity to draft a quarterback early in the 2025 draft, they opted for Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round, recognizing the need for a fallback if negotiations with veteran Aaron Rodgers fall through," Hadley wrote.

For a piece published late Sunday night, ESPN's Brooke Pryor made note of the Pittsburgh Steelers "passing on a quarterback four times before finally selecting 24-year-old developmental prospect Will Howard out of Ohio State in the sixth round" of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Passing on a QB four times before selecting developmental prospect Will Howard in the sixth round suggests the Steelers are still hoping Rodgers ends up in Pittsburgh.