The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated rookie QB Will Howard from injured reserve and placed him on their 53-man roster ahead of Week 11’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Howard comes off IR after having his window to return opened on Oct. 22.
In a corresponding move to accommodate him, the team waived RB Trey Sermon from the 53-man roster. Pittsburgh also announced previously reported moves of signing CB Asante Samuel Jr. to the practice squad and releasing S Darrick Forrest from the practice squad.
We have activated QB Will Howard to the Active Roster from the Reserve/Injured List, signed CB Asante Samuel Jr. to the Practice Squad, waived RB Trey Sermon from the Active Roster & released DB Darrick Forrest from the Practice Squad. @BordasLawhttps://t.co/1Fxb4XYDnB
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 12, 2025
Pittsburgh used all 21 days of Howard’s window to activate him on the final day it could do so. Had the Steelers not done so Wednesday, Howard would’ve spent the rest of the season on injured reserve and not eligible to practice.
Back on the roster, Howard is expected to serve as the team’s emergency third-string quarterback. While that will permit him to dress on gamedays, he can only enter if Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph are injured and unavailable.
Howard, a sixth-round pick from Ohio State, broke a bone in his throwing hand during training camp. The injury prevented him from playing any snaps in the preseason and he was placed on injured reserve one day after final roster cutdowns in late August. Pittsburgh kept him busy by assigning him special projects, studying things like signals and specific areas of the opponent to aid and prepare QB Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the offense.
But Howard was eager to return to practice last month.
“All that joy of being a little kid playing football again came back,” Howard he said after his first practice. “It was my first two plays yesterday, it was scout team, and I handed the ball off. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled more on two handoff plays in my life. I was just happy to be back out there.”
Pittsburgh opted to open Howard’s window to return over veteran QB Skylar Thompson, who remains on injured reserve and has yet to practice. Thompson began the season as the Steelers’ third-string quarterback but suffered a hamstring injury ahead of their Week 1 game. He was placed on injured reserve before Week 2. Since, the team has carried just two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Howard began his college career at Kansas State, winning a Big 12 title there before transferring to Ohio State for the 2024 season. There, he led the Buckeyes to a national championship before entering the draft and becoming a Day 3 selection.
The Steelers signed Sermon to the 53-man roster ahead of their Week 10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. A veteran running back, he played exclusively on special teams for Pittsburgh. He was called for holding on a kick return on Sunday across 19 special teams snaps. He may circle back to the Steelers’ practice squad, assuming he clears waivers.
Samuels is a notable free agent addition but is coming off an offseason spinal-fusion surgery. He’ll try to help the team late in the year. Forrest spent two weeks on Pittsburgh’s practice squad but failed to appear in a game.
The only Steeler on injured reserve whose 21-day window remains open is CB Cory Trice Jr. His window closes in one week on Nov. 19. But he suffered a knee injury in his second practice back and hasn’t participated since. Unless he’s close to returning, there’s a good chance he spends the rest of the season on injured reserve.
