Aaron Rodgers mentoring Will Howard

Aaron Rodgers has been working one-on-one with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard during the team’s offseason program, according to remarks Howard gave reporters that were published Tuesday by Yahoo Sports. Howard said the veteran’s input has already changed details in his practice routine, from how he studies film to how he manages his feet in the pocket. The comments offer a clearer picture of Rodgers’ role in Pittsburgh’s quarterback room as the Steelers move deeper into spring work. They also add specifics to a mentorship dynamic that Howard and team observers have referenced since Rodgers joined the club. ### What, exactly, did Howard say Rodgers has been helping him with? Will Howard told reporters that Rodgers has been correcting details in his mechanics and timing, Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday. Howard said one specific point of emphasis was Rodgers telling him to “take a hitch out” or “shorten down your feet a little bit” so he could be “more on time” and “more anticipatory” in practice. Those comments point to pocket movement and release timing rather than broad leadership talk. Yahoo’s report said Howard described Rodgers’ advice as immediately useful on the field, framing it as instruction that carried over from meetings into throws during team work. ### How does Howard describe the value of having Rodgers around every day? Will Howard said the benefit starts with observation as much as direct coaching, according to Steelers Depot’s account published Monday. (sports.yahoo.com) Howard said seeing how Rodgers handles the job day to day has been important because a younger quarterback can learn without being forced into the lineup right away. That description matches the setup in Pittsburgh’s room this spring. Rodgers returned to the Steelers on a one-year deal worth up to $25 million, Yahoo Sports reported in May, giving Howard another season alongside a veteran starter rather than pushing him into an immediate competition for the top job. ### Is this a new development, or has Howard been saying this for a while? (steelersdepot.com) Howard has been talking about Rodgers as a mentor since at least last year. NFL.com reported in 2025 that Howard said Rodgers had been “so awesome” to him early in their time together, and Steelers-focused coverage from that period described Rodgers offering immediate pointers on drop mechanics and base width. (sports.yahoo.com) The newer comments are more specific about what has stuck. Tuesday’s Yahoo report tied the relationship to current spring work and to tangible adjustments in Howard’s preparation and on-field decision-making, rather than just general praise for Rodgers’ presence. ### Why does the timing matter now? June 2 matters because the Steelers are approaching the last major phase of their offseason program before training camp. (nfl.com) A separate report published Tuesday said Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp is the next key date on the calendar, making this the period when quarterback reps, meeting-room work and coaching points are most concentrated. (sports.yahoo.com) For Howard, that gives context to why Rodgers’ feedback is surfacing now. The Steelers are still in spring installation, and Howard’s comments indicate he is using this stretch to refine mechanics and processing while working behind Rodgers in team sessions. That is an inference from the timing of minicamp and Howard’s remarks about spring practice. (msn.com) ### What comes next for Rodgers and Howard? Pittsburgh’s next public offseason marker is mandatory minicamp, when Rodgers and Howard are expected to continue practicing together. Howard’s comments, published on June 2, place Rodgers’ film-study habits, footwork advice and practice coaching at the center of that spring work as the Steelers move toward training camp. (msn.com)