One of the toughest parts of being injured, especially for a rookie like Howard, is feeling disconnected from the team.
Still, Howard is making a conscious effort to stay engaged and contribute however he can, even while sidelined.
“I’m doing everything I can to treat this like I’m still playing,” he said. “Everyone’s told me not to view this as downtime. I have to approach this period with purpose.”
The Steelers and Howard have put together a weekly plan while he’s on injured reserve—focused on both his physical conditioning and his involvement in the team’s game prep. “I can’t practice, but I still need to stay in shape and be ready when I return,” Howard added.
He’s also finding motivation in staying close to veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowler, from whom he’s eager to learn.
“They’ve given me a bunch of assignments each week, like putting together film cut-ups for [Rodgers],” Howard said. “Whenever the offense is on the field and [Rodgers] is out there, I’m right there watching him, soaking in mental reps. I have to be ready to step back in without missing a beat.”
“In this league,” he added, “there’s no time to fall behind.”
Jill Howard is doing everything he can off the field while he’s sidelined due to injury and unable to practice or play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As the rookie quarterback recovers from a freak injury to his throwing hand, he discussed focusing on what he can control during an appearance on the “Downs 2 Business” podcast, hosted by Josh Downs and Caleb Downs.
Howard, a sixth-round pick in April’s draft, was placed on injured reserve and is set to miss at least the first four games of the season after injuring his hand during a snap early in training camp.
The 6-foot-6 quarterback won a national title with Caleb Downs at Ohio State back in January. He’s one of four quarterbacks currently on the Steelers’ roster, joining veterans Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, and Skylar Thompson.
Howard was performing a routine task he’s likely done thousands of times over the past decade when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his hand.
“It was just a standard under-center snap,” Howard explained. “[The center] snapped it right into my hand, jammed my pinkie, and ended up breaking this bone,” he said, pointing to the outside of his hand.
According to Howard, even the medical staff was surprised. “The doctors said they’d never seen anything like it,” he recalled. “I finished the drill, ran a few more plays, then moved on to the next drill — but I couldn’t even grip the football. That’s when I knew something was really wrong.”
At first, Howard assumed it was just a jammed finger, but X-rays revealed a fracture — a tough blow, especially since Aaron Rodgers wasn’t expected to take any preseason snaps, meaning Howard had a real chance to see game action.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, as Howard believed he was building strong momentum in camp.
“I felt like I was having a great camp,” he said. “I was protecting the ball, making smart decisions, and putting together solid plays.”
One of the toughest parts of being injured, especially for a rookie like Howard, is feeling disconnected from the team.
Still, Howard is making a conscious effort to stay engaged and contribute however he can, even while sidelined.
“I’m doing everything I can to treat this like I’m still playing,” he said. “Everyone’s told me not to view this as downtime. I have to approach this period with purpose.”
The Steelers and Howard have put together a weekly plan while he’s on injured reserve—focused on both his physical conditioning and his involvement in the team’s game prep. “I can’t practice, but I still need to stay in shape and be ready when I return,” Howard added.
He’s also finding motivation in staying close to veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowler, from whom he’s eager to learn.
“They’ve given me a bunch of assignments each week, like putting together film cut-ups for [Rodgers],” Howard said. “Whenever the offense is on the field and [Rodgers] is out there, I’m right there watching him, soaking in mental reps. I have to be ready to step back in without missing a beat.”
“In this league,” he added, “there’s no time to fall behind.”
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