When news first dropped on Tuesday that former Ohio State football quarterback Will Howard was dealing with a serious-looking injury at practice, hearts dropped everywhere. It can't be understated how much Howard meant to the program during his one season in Columbus.
Thankfully, though, it looks like Howard has avoided an injury that's going to keep him off the field for an extended period of time. However, his preseason is over before it can get started. On Tuesday night, Ian Rapoport has reported that Howard suffered a broken bone in his right hand. Per Rapoport, Howard doesn't need surgery, though, and he'll be out around three weeks:
#Steelers rookie QB Will Howard, who banged his throwing hand in practice, suffered a fractured small bone in his hand, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 6, 2025
He’s having additional tests, but it’s likely no surgery is required. He’s expected to miss at least 3 weeks, but more info coming. pic.twitter.com/ngij5xxxr5
Former Ohio State QB Will Howard suffered a broken bone in his right hand
It's a bit of a bummer for Howard, as he was expected to see a ton of action during the preseason for the Steelers. The Day 3 NFL Draft pick has been making plenty of noise with Pittsburgh this summer, really standing out at training camp.
We don't have to tell Ohio State fans that Howard is an incredibly easy guy to root for. He's beloved all over Columbus after what he was able to get done for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes last season. People are still smiling over how he, Jack Sawyer and others powered this team to the natty.
When Howard entered the transfer portal, countless teams reached out to him to show strong interest. Day was able to win that recruiting battle and the rest is history. Last season for the Buckeyes, Howard tossed for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns.
The chemistry he was able to build with Jeremiah Smith was out of this world. Replacing Howard isn't going to be easy for the reigning national champs, as in addition to being fantastic throwing the ball all over the field, Howard was also an incredible leader for the locker room.
He has taken his underdog mentality to the AFC North and while the Steelers offense belongs to Aaron Rodgers, Howard has indeed looked sharp and he's been doing a whole lot of learning under AR12's wing. This is a minor setback for Howard, who will no question still help the Steelers out in any way he can until he's cleared to put the pads back on.