When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Will Howard, it made Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day extremely joyful. He saw the adversity his quarterback went through in the regular season and the College Football Playoff.

Now, Howard can live out his dream of playing in the NFL. As Day explained via ESPN, he was beyond eager to see him land with Pittsburgh.

“It's exciting, man, to see him go there, for their need, for their situation, it's a great opportunity for him,” Day said. “You just get to the point where you just get stressed out because you don't know where it's going to be.

“You see these other guys getting drafted and just want to know where you're going to be. So I know those were a long couple of days for him, but ultimately, a lot of relief knowing he's going to a great organization.”

The Steelers are the ultimate gritty team in the NFL. For Howard's profile, that fits him well. Although there is flash to his game, he is as tough as they get, both physically and mentally.

After nearly costing Ohio State football a spot in the College Football Playoff, he redeemed himself with elite performances. Not to mention, he transferred from Kansas State and had one shot to make it big.

Safe to say, Howard accomplished the ultimate goal of winning the national championship, with Day coaching him up along the way.

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Ryan Day is excited for Will Howard being with the Steelers

The Steelers and Howard seem to fit like a glove. Both Pittsburgh and Columbus are quite close to one another. Both Day and Mike Tomlin are hard-nosed yet gentile coaches.

They are player-coaches who understand relatability and how to get the most out of them. Plus, Howard will enter a Steelers culture based on consistency, grit, and camaraderie. It could be similar to what it was with Ohio State football.

Weapons like George Pickens and DK Metcalf make it intriguing. Not to mention, running backs Kaleb Johnson, Jaylen Warren, and Kenneth Gainwell, who all bring a little something different to the offensive backfield.

Either way, it looks like a familiar scene all over again for the 2025 national champion. While he might not start from Day 1, Howard's experience and story are a major selling point for Steelers fans.

He's ready to lead the team out of mediocrity and back into legitimate playoff contention. As Ryan Day said, he is going to an elite organization. That alone has much reason to be excited about what could happen in Howard's future.