PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – While Aaron Rodgers not yet deciding if he is playing is making many in the fanbase impatient, it isn’t with the Steelers, yet. Rather it’s creating opportunities for Will Howard, and Mason Rudolph, to lead the new offense.
“You play quarterback in this league, the opportunity to command the huddle and be the guy, those reps are so valuable,” said Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy after the second day of on-field work with the team on Tuesday.
McCarthy said Rudolph, with 34 games of NFL experience, and Howard with none, not even in the preseason, split time leading the first team the first two days. Pretty much everyone else is there for the first on-field installation of the new Steelers offense. So, an opportunity, more so for Howard, to prove it to himself and build some trust with his teammates.
His veteran head coach again praised the work of the 24-year-old.
“I think he’s done a really good job, most rookies go through it,” McCarthy said of Howard adjusting to the NFL. “They go to pro football and they say I played at Ohio State or I played at a big-time place, won the national championship. I think you realize that everybody in the locker room has a level of physical gifts, special individuals.”
“I think that the level of conditioning and preparation, I know just meeting with him in January compared to today, he’s had a really good offseason before the offseason. He’s in much better shape. I’ve been very impressed with his movement skills.”
“I’ve been very impressed (overall).”
There isn’t a competition between the two at this point in early offseason work, according to McCarthy. He said they are trying to get both as many reps as possible calling the drill work 'critical’. That drill work leads to improvement and the competition is really for each player to improve.
McCarthy said he’s enjoying his time with both quarterbacks, but he wants to add to the group.
McCarthy comfortable with where they are with Aaron Rodgers
“I believe in having three,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “I’ve been two a few times in my life, but that was Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. It’s a luxury to be in that spot. I believe in having three, potentially we’d love to have four if we can make one work on the practice squad.”
“I’ve always done it that way, we are developing the whole room because when you get started, the lead guy has his specific rules and responsibilities, but all the other guys too have responsibilities in that room. That’s why you have to develop all of them.”
Four means at least one in the draft assuming Rodgers returns. In the meantime, Rudolph and Howard are leading the Steelers offense.
Let’s see what happens the next few days and weeks.
LISTEN to what Mike McCarthy said after 2nd day of on-field work
LISTEN to what Mike McCarthy said after 2nd day of on-field work
