Steelers Rookie Will Howard Sidelined Four Games by Unusual Hand Injury

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard suffered a rare and surprising hand injury during training camp when a center's under-center snap jammed his pinky and fractured a bone, an injury even the team doctors had never seen before. Despite finishing the drill and playing a couple more plays, Howard realized he couldn't grip the football and subsequently confirmed the break through X-rays, forcing him onto injured reserve and sidelining him for at least the first four games of the season. Howard had been showing promise as a sixth-round draft pick, impressing coaches with his poise and arm strength, but the injury disrupted his momentum and limited his preseason reps. While recovering, Howard has been taking mental reps and is starting to throw again, though the Steelers may keep him on injured reserve longer to manage the quarterback depth chart. The injury has delayed Howard's on-field development behind starter Aaron Rodgers and backups Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, but his resilience and candid reflections keep fans hopeful about his future contributions. The freak nature of the injury, combined with Howard's early promise, makes his recovery and eventual return a key storyline for the Steelers' quarterback room this season.