PHOENIX — Mike McCarthy enjoyed his year off away from coaching and being more involved with his family in 2025. For what was only the second time in more than a quarter century, he had no role in the draft that year.
But if McCarthy had carried influence in a draft “war room” last April, there would have been at least one player picked well before the 185th slot in which he was selected.
That player was quarterback Will Howard.
Now the Pittsburgh Steelers coach, McCarthy gets to work with Howard.
“People get caught up on what round (Howard) went in,” McCarthy said Tuesday from the site of the NFL owners meetings, “but if I was drafting players that year, he wouldn’t have been around in the fifth or sixth round. I valued him higher than that.”
Mike McCarthy on Will Howard: “He has all the traits to be a starting quarterback.”
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) March 31, 2026
Says if he was in charge of a draft last year that Howard would not have lasted at all into the 6th round. pic.twitter.com/SQoxYAtUOg
A noted offensive guru who has taken a hands-on approach working with quarterbacks throughout his three-plus decades in the NFL as an assistant and head coach, McCarthy said he had admired Howard from afar going back to his two seasons as the starting quarterback at Kansas State (2022-23).
Howard led Ohio State to the College Football Playoff national championship for the 2024 season.
“I thought he jumped out of the TV set during the college playoffs,” McCarthy said during the AFC coaches breakfast at the Arizona Biltmore resort. “I mean, what is there not to like about the guy?
“I think he’s definitely a real prospect as a starting quarterback. I believed that when he came out, and (nothing has changed).”
Howard spent last season as the Steelers’ No. 3 QB behind Aaron Rodgers and longtime Steelers backup Mason Rudolph. Howard suffered a hand injury during training camp that prevented him from appearing in any preseason games.
He was the eighth quarterback taken in last year’s draft. The consensus projection — and official NFL website — predicted Howard to be selected a round or two earlier.
As the Steelers’ roster stands now — the team remains waiting for Rodgers to inform it if he intends to play this coming season — Howard slots in behind Rudolph. But the Steelers figure to add Rodgers (or some other veteran), and they are not discounting the possibility of adding another quarterback in this year’s draft.
“The biggest thing with Will is probably (that in) this system with young quarterbacks, they’ve got to win from the pocket,” McCarthy said. “At the end of the day. Nine (or) 10 games a year are going to come down to the 2-minute drill. That’s what the stats tell you. That’s the way we train. So, his ability to win from the pocket (needs refined), because I think he has everything else.”
Phase I of voluntary organized team activities begins next week for the Steelers.
“There’s room for development there,” McCarthy said of Howard. “So I think there’s a lot to work on. I’m excited to work with him.”
