In a rough start to his NFL career, former Buckeye Will Howard has been sidelined with a hand injury, setting back his debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to a report by ABC6, the injury occurred during a routine quarterback/center exchange in practice, resulting in a fractured small bone in his throwing hand. The initial prognosis suggests a recovery period of at least three weeks.
Following up on the developing situation, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin conveyed that Howard's injury is "week to week" and will keep him off the field for Saturday's matchup against the Jaguars. "Regarding Will’s hand injury, he’s got a broken finger. It can be characterized as week to week," Tomlin said. "He’s looking at his options. I’ll have more information when it’s definitive, but he’s certainly out this week. It appears to be non-surgical, and so we’ll see," in a statement obtained by PennLive. Having swapped cleats from college to the pros, the transition has hit an unexpected snag for Howard.
The details of Howard's injury suggest that he'll be missing valuable time, potentially the entire preseason, which is crucial for any rookie, let alone a sixth-round draft pick. A report from CBS Sports underscores the timing of the injury, just before Pittsburgh's preseason opener against Jacksonville. Preseason games are often where rookies can make a strong case for their place on the team, and missing these opportunities can be a significant setback.
Before undergoing the injury, Howard faced the tall order of establishing himself on the Steelers' roster behind Aaron Rodgers, the legendary quarterback who recently signed with the team, and the seasoned backup Mason Rudolph. Drafted 185th overall, Howard's stock as a draft pick contrasted sharply with his collegiate achievement, which included leading Ohio State to a national title and being named the offensive MVP in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Despite his unusual road from Kansas State to Ohio State and then to the NFL, Howard had made strides in training camp, taking every rep as a chance to prove his doubters wrong.
The former All-Big 12 selection's setback converges with high expectations based on his impressive 73% completion rate and 4,010 passing yards during his record-setting single season at Ohio State. With the injury confirmed as non-surgical, Steelers fans and Howard alike will be hoping for a quick recovery and an opportunity for the quarterback to showcase the talents that made him a collegiate standout.
