Will Howard picked up an endorsement this week from a source that spent months questioning him. Mark Madden, the longtime Pittsburgh radio voice on 105.9 The X, used a recent podcast episode to flip his position and throw his support behind the young Steelers quarterback.
The turn is notable because Madden had previously dismissed Howard in blunt terms, casting him as little more than roster depth. On the podcast, he framed the change plainly, saying “I am jumping on the Will Howard bandwagon” while acknowledging he does not view Howard as a settled long-term starter.
His reasoning centered on the backup picture behind Aaron Rodgers. Madden argued that Mason Rudolph is not the answer over the long haul and would struggle to win games if Rodgers were forced to miss extended time. In that scenario, he said, Howard is the better bet, and he now has no issue with Howard holding the No. 2 job.
Madden did leave Rudolph a narrow lane, suggesting the veteran would be the preferable option only if Rodgers needed to sit for a series or two within a game. For anything longer, his pick was Howard.
