BE.🚨 BREAKING: “Aaron Rodgers’ Four Words” — Will Howard and the Story of His Chosen Pupil

🚨 BREAKING: “Aaron Rodgers’ Four Words” — Will Howard and the Story of His Chosen Pupil

PITTSBURGH — When Will Howard walked out of the press conference room after midweek practice, most reporters expected it to be a brief chat about how the Steelers are progressing with their offensive system. The team is 5-4, and all eyes are still on the QB1 competition, where Aaron Rodgers — an NFL icon — is still the leader. But it was Howard who got the media buzzing, with just four words that he said are where he “stores” all the football wisdom Rodgers has passed on.

Not a philosophical speech, not secret formulas. Just four words. Short, simple, but containing a teacher-student transition that many in the Steelers organization describe as “quiet but real.”

And from the moment Howard revealed them, the phrase “Rodgers’ hand-picked protégé” began to appear more often than ever.

Four words that form the foundation of the spirit

When asked what Rodgers taught him most, Howard simply smiled and replied:

“Be still under fire.”

To many, this might be just a motto. But for the quarterback position—where every second of defensive pressure can change the fate of a game—the four words are almost a philosophy of survival. Howard elaborated:

“He told me that everything on the field is going to be chaotic—the chants, the collisions, the blitzes coming from both sides. But if I can keep my head still when things are exploding around me, I will always see the solution. ‘Be still under fire’ is what I remind myself every practice.”

Rodgers, known for his ability to handle pressure and make snap decisions, has clearly passed on to Howard something no textbook can teach: the mentality of a master of the field.

Why was Rodgers so interested in a sixth-round rookie?

That’s a question that has intrigued the Pittsburgh press since the start of the season. Rodgers isn’t the type of player who spends a lot of time mentoring his juniors. But with Howard, things were different.

An anonymous coaching staff member said:

“Rodgers saw Howard had potential from day one. It wasn’t his shooting or his technique, it was the way he took notes, asked questions, and handled the bad moments. Rodgers took the initiative to call Howard into his room to review tape and told us, ‘This kid has the mentality of a starter.’”

This rare initiative has led many insiders to believe that Rodgers, while still holding the QB1 role, is quietly grooming a successor—in his own, Rodgers way.

A teacher-student relationship born of opposition

Will Howard is not Rodgers’s style. If Rodgers is a craftsman of unconventional throws, Howard is a disciplined QB, inclined toward structure and physical strength. But it is this opposition that creates an interesting combination.

Rodgers does not try to make Howard into a clone of himself. On the contrary, he helps Howard understand his own identity and then exploit it.

“He told me, ‘Don’t try to do what I do. Learn to see the field like I do, but do it the way you do.’ And that opened up a whole new world for me,” Howard shared.

Rodgers’ trust — albeit quiet — helped Howard grow more confident each week. At practice, Rodgers was often seen standing behind Howard, observing each release, each dropback, then shaking or nodding his head knowingly.

Howard and the Steelers’ Journey to Becoming a Strategic Weapon

The Steelers are 5-4, a position that’s both hopeful and worrying. Rodgers remains the centerpiece of the offense, but the team knows it’s important to prepare for the future — and Howard is improving faster than expected.

Despite his lack of playing time, Howard has shown an increasingly fluid ability to read the game, stay calm, and connect with receivers in simulated practice. What’s impressed the coaching staff most isn’t his technique, but his “never panic” attitude — exactly what Rodgers preaches.

An offensive assistant says: “He has two people in his head — Howard and a mini-Rodgers. And sometimes, the mini-Rodgers makes him make better decisions.”

What’s next?

The story of “Rodgers’ hand-picked protégé” may only be beginning, but with four simple words — “Be still under fire” — Will Howard has found the mental and tactical foundation for the long road ahead.

Rodgers, while still in charge, appears to have quietly chosen his successor. And if Howard continues to develop at his current pace, the Steelers could have a smooth, intelligent, and… Rodgers-esque transition of power.

The new chapter may not have begun, but everyone can sense it:
It’s coming.