The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line has completely flipped the narrative that surrounded the unit earlier in the 2025 season. The unit has done an excellent job of protecting Aaron Rodgers over the past few weeks, a far cry from what fans saw from it over the initial opening month of play. Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu have specifically stepped it up recently as well, and Rodgers has been excellent as a result.
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Steelers' Mason McCormick during a matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
McCormick was the Steelers' fourth-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. The guard arguably had his best performance of the season in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, and McCormick has played terrific football since the matchup in Ireland. He took a moment to speak to the media about Pittsburgh's offensive line struggles in the beginning of the season, and McCormick believes it took some time for the line as a whole to get comfortable playing together.
"It takes time to get used to playing next to somebody." McCormick stated. "But, Troy is a d*mn good football player and a hell of a teammate."
McCormick continued to speak about his experience so far when it comes to playing alongside Fautanu.
"It's awesome to play next to a guy like that."
Fautanu has done a great job in protecting Rodgers since Week 4 in Ireland. The Steelers drafted Fautanu in the first round back in 2024 prior to selecting McCormick, and the tackle has looked much more comfortable throughout the first eight weeks of the 2025 season. Pittsburgh's offensive line as a whole has seen major improvements with additional playing time together, and the unit has kept the amount of hits Rodgers has taken to a minimum.
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Steelers offensive lineman Troy Fautanu (76) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
The Steelers' offensive line looked much different in Week 7 than the unit fans saw in Week 1. There were multiple occasions throughout the early stages of the season where the offensive line appeared to not be on the same page, but the collective has clearly made the necessary adjustments, and has been much better since then.
McCormick and the rest of the Steelers' offensive line will certainly have their hands full against Micah Parsons and the Packers' defense and the unit will need to give Rodgers as much time to work with in the pocket as possible.
The Packers' defense has excelled in stopping the run this season. Rodgers could throw the ball more consistently against the Packers than we have seen in weeks past, and the offensive line will need to protect their 41 year old quarterback to the best of their ability. The Packers will be in Pittsburgh for Sunday Night Football in Week 8 and the offensive line will be faced with one of the toughest matchups the unit will see all season.
Steelers' Zach Frazier Credits Reps And Playing Time For The Offensive Line's Improvement
Frazier is undeniably one of the best centers in the NFL. Frazier credited the recent offensive line success towards the grow continuing to work together as a collective, as additional reps and practice have completely flipped the narrative surrounding the big men up front earlier in the season. Frazier and the rest of Pittsburgh's offensive line will need to be at their best on Sunday but the improvement in recent weeks is an excellent sign of what may come in the future.
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Steelers center Zach Frazier (54) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Pittsburgh will look to get back in the win column against Jordan Love and the Packers on Sunday night. Rodgers will more than likely need additional time in the pocket given the Packers' run defense, and the offensive line will need to establish itself as early as possible.
Do you like what you've seen from the Steelers' offensive line in recent weeks? How do you think the unit will perform against the Packers? Let us know what you think in the comments down below! Make sure to send me your Steelers' takes on X @BoicoJake and follows me.
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