Howard was the first quarterback the Steelers selected in the NFL draft since Kenny Pickett's class. In 2022, Tomlin's team picked Pickett in the first round and South Dakota State Jackrabbits signal-caller Chris Oladokun in the seventh round.

The Pittsburgh Steelers waited until the sixth round to draft their quarterback, snapping up Ohio State’s Will Howard. But why did they wait so long and pass up players like Jalen Milroe, Shedeur Sanders, and others? Mike Tomlin explains that they like their plan at the spot, even though there is angst in the fan base.

As the first couple of picks came and went for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 NFL Draft, it became clear that the team was not interested in