Sports
Will Howard - English
A recent appearance on ESPN’s Get Up sparked significant chatter in the NFL world.
Former New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum delivered a bold forecast: the Pittsburgh Steelers could bench veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers in favour of rookie Will Howard before the 2025 season concludes.
Tannenbaum‘s comments have stirred debate over Pittsburgh‘s quarterback plans and the legacy of one of the game’s all-time greats.
Tannenbaum, who held the GM position with the Jets from 2006 to 2012, pointed to Rodgers‘ advancing age and the team’s ongoing struggles protecting its quarterback as major concerns.
He argued, “Will Howard will be starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers by December 1,” adding, “Aaron Rodgers is an all-time great, but he will be 42 in December.”
Tannenbaum highlighted Howard‘s credentials at Ohio State, where he posted an impressive 89 QBR and threw 35 touchdown passes, and suggested that a stronger offseason performance might have even elevated his draft stock to the third or fourth round.
Assessing Howard’s upside and Rodgers’ outlook
Selected in the sixth round of the 2025 draft, Howard arrives in Pittsburgh with a national championship and strong game tape, though he’s yet to prove himself in the NFL. At 23, he’s seen by many scouts as a high-upside player, particularly when contrasted with Rodgers, a four-time MVP at 41 years old.
Despite these doubts, Rodgers himself appears unfazed. He’s already embraced a mentoring role, stating in June, “Will is a good kid… I thought he did really well today. You know, he seems pretty bright, not too big for him, going through the progressions really well.”
Rodgers has even chosen to sit next to Howard in meetings to coach him through the playbook.
Still, Rodgers‘ off-field image has drawn scrutiny. During labor discussions in 2020, former NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith said Rodgers was “isolated and dismissive,” embodying an antagonist persona with dramatic sighs and exits.
The quarterback’s vocal concerns over a proposed 17-game schedule, phrases like “Sixteen games to me was never something to be negotiated,” left a lasting impression.
Rival experts have weighed in with mixed opinions. Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger expressed confidence in a healthy Rodgers.
“Well, I would take Aaron in his prime over Patrick [Mahomes] now,” he told listeners on his Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast. But analysts like James Harrison have cautioned the team, warning that Rodgers “could become a distraction if the team does not produce winning results”.
Adding to the narrative, ESPN commentator Ryan Clark suggested the team should rethink its quarterback strategy entirely. Instead of hoping Rodgers sparks a resurgence, Clark advocated embracing a rebuild to chase high-profile prospects like Arch Manning or Garrett Nussmeier in the 2026 draft.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Bill Belichick’s UNC misses bowl eligibility after trick play by Duke
When Bill Belichick was introduced as UNC head coach 11 long months ago, he revealed, joked or lied that his first words as a child were "Beat Duke."His program fell short of that goal on Saturday, and the result is a disappointing season will officially end next weekend. The Tar Heels lost to Duke 32-25, pushing their record down to 4-7 and leaving them unable to reach bowl eligibility next week against NC State.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt wasn't just any loss to their biggest rivals either. At home, UNC had come back from down 24-10 to take a 25-24 lead early in the fourth quarter. That remained the score until the final three minutes, when the Blue Devils lined up for a go-ahead field goal that would have given the Tar Heels the ball back with more than two minutes left and a […]
Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC, NWSL Championship: Trinity Rodman’s status hangs over title match
Two star-studded teams in the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC will meet in San Jose for the NWSL Championship, a competitive match likely in store as each side chases their second league title, but the big question looms -- will Trinity Rodman play?The pair took contrasting roads to the NWSL Championship, the No. 2 seed Spirit advancing as the favorites in their matchups while Gotham played spoiler as the No. 8 seed, eliminating the runaway NWSL Shield winners in the Kansas City Current and last year's champions Orlando Pride. To describe this as a David vs. Goliath-type game would be a misnomer, though, Gotham have been inconsistent, but they won the Championship just two years ago and boast an MVP nominee in Esther Gonzalez.While Gonzalez and new Gotham recruict Jaedyn Shaw headline Juan Carlos Amoros' team, the attention will also […]
Bills RB Ty Johnson fined $10,777 for pelvic-thrust TD celebration in win over Bucs
The NFL has fined Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson $10,777 for "obscene gestures" as part of a crackdown on unsportsmanlike conduct. Johnson did a thrust-heavy celebration after scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the Bills' win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11.With less than a minute left in the first half, Johnson broke away on third-and-5 to sprint 52 yards for the touchdown. To celebrate, Johnson grabbed his leg, seemingly pretending to have sustained an injury (à la the Kansas City Current's Lo'eau LaBonta), and fell before grinding his pelvis against the ground twice.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBuffalo went on to win the game, 44-32, behind a six-touchdown night from quarterback Josh Allen.The fine comes a couple of weeks after Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle was fined $14,491 for a similar celebration. Dowdle did "two pumps" (i.e., thrusted his pelvis twice) […]
Kyle Shanahan says Brandon Aiyuk’s guarantees were voided in July: ‘It takes a lot to get a contract voided’
The news that Brandon Aiyuk has likely played his last game for the San Francisco 49ers was a surprise on Friday, but the situation has apparently been simmering for months.Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan declined to say what specifically led to a falling out between team and player — there was a report of frustrations over Aiyuk failing to participate in team meetings and other activities — while claiming the contract battle was out of his hands:"I'm not going to get into the specifics of that. There were a number of things from July that, to me, is more of the business side, dealing with lawyers and stuff, and contracts. Stuff that is really not my area of expertise."Aiyuk has spent all season on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, which […]