Steelers Ramon Foster Addresses The Hate Thrown At Chukwuma Okorafor

Chukwuma Okorafor was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. While he played a little in 2018, including a couple of games as a blocking tight end, he really got his big break in his second season. Former guard, Ramon Foster was injured and Okorafor started in his place.

Depending on who you talk to, Okorafor has performed anywhere on the spectrum of success from abysmal to good with most feeling he has been inconsistent. When the Steelers signed him to a three-year $29.25 million contract in 2022, some fans were skeptical.

To be fair, the offensive line as a whole had been pretty terrible recently. While many fans were clamoring for some fresh meat on the line in 2022, it seemed more important to have someone there as a veteran presence and to give some continuity. That continuity was Okorafor. 

There was earlier talk of the Steelers possibly cutting Okorafor, and he himself didn't rule out the possibility of ending up elsewhere. It hasn't happened and now we are a few short weeks away from the start of camp. Of course, he will still have to earn his spot on the roster which isn't necessarily a given. Head Coach, Mike Tomlin isn't one to stand on ceremony or a sense of obligation. With few exceptions, he gives the starting roster spot to the players that earned them.  

Steelers Ramon Foster Speaks About His Predecessor Chukwuma Okorafor

Foster, the guard Okorafor relieved, is retired and speaking up about the way fans criticize the five-year vet. His podcast, which airs on DK Pittsburgh Sports, is called The Ramon Foster Show, and he co-hosts it with Pittsburgh reporter, Dejan Kovacevic. On the show, they discuss various topics related to the Steelers and that includes a fan question segment called "Hey 'Mon." Recently a fan asked about the "hate" he says he sees directed towards Okorafor, commenting that he personally loves the guy and doesn't understand it. 

Kovacevic says that he doesn't see "hate" directed toward Okorafor. Who can be sure where he's looking because social media sites like Twitter are full of negative comments regarding the tackle's inconsistencies. Foster disagreed saying that he sees quite a few nasty comments directed towards Okorafor. 

Foster said that Okorafor's longevity is the reason why we hear so much about him. The longer a player is on a team, the more noticeable they are and the more criticized they are. If someone is relatively new, fans cut them slack as they adjust.  

"Because he's the longest one there right now, you've seen so much newness surrounding Chuks and Chuks also doesn't publicly go to bat for himself either. He was a young guy of an old group and now he's the old guy in between everything. So you think, 'Oh we need a new change.' Chuks hit that threshold of five to six years where you think you need a new guy, that's all it is." 

Okorafor has made no secret about the tremendous impact that Foster and center, Maurkice Pouncey had on his career. In 2021, he had special cleats painted to honor them and thank them for teaching him the "standard." While Foster is quick to give his protege the credit he deserves, he is known to be reasonable and realistic about a player's shortcomings and Okorafor is no exception.