"A Little Rusty": Steelers' Troy Fautanu Gets Honest About Day 1 Of OTAs

The Pittsburgh Steelers were always expected to have plenty of new faces for 2026 offseason workouts, especially after a fresh coaching staff was put in place following Mike Tomlin's resignation. Whenever this occurs in the NFL, a lot is going to change simply because not everyone has the same beliefs and schemes. Fans saw this firsthand on Monday morning when reports started to roll in that the offensive line setup was looking a whole lot different than it did in 2025. Both Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick moved over to the left side in an unexpected development.

If the Steelers are going to commit to making a move like this, it is better to start working on it now compared to later on and into the summer. The challenge is that there is a massive unknown when it comes to Broderick Jones. Entering his fourth season, it has yet to be revealed if he will be ready to go by the time meaningful football games begin in September.

The thought from the staff might be that McCormick and Fautanu can easily transition back to the right side if Jones does speed up the recovery process and get ready for the preseason. Otherwise, the duo may absolutely find themselves switching spots permanently. Continuity is very important for big men upfront, so Mike McCarthy and James Campen must really see value in the two moving.

Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette went into detail about a lot of the storylines from the first day of Organized Team Activities (OTAs). He quoted Fautanu, who was not shy to admit that he had a little bit of a hard time adjusting to left tackle because of how the stance sets up compared to being on the opposite end, hinting that this kind of change will take time to work out.

"The first day, I was a little rusty," Fautanu said. "I hadn’t been in a left-handed stance since pre-draft training. It’s getting there."

Fautanu is a heck of a lineman and has the potential to be an All-Pro in the coming years. One thing that could hinder that trajectory would be moving all over the place and not remaining in one spot. The Steelers likely understood that it had been a good while since Fautanu set up in a left-handed stance, so it makes sense to get him acclimated in May compared to August.

While there are plenty of new faces on both sides of the ball, the offensive line has come into focus because of how much the Steelers' front office has invested in the area dating back to 2023. Three of four first-round selections since then protect the quarterback, so it needs to all come together sooner rather than later. Jones' lack of consistent play has certainly been a disappointment, but Fautanu, McCormick and Zach Frazier have made a very legitimate trio.

There will be some growing pains with a new staff and positions, and Fautanu was not afraid to share those details with the media on Monday. He even stated that he has no interest in moving inside to guard. For now, he and McCormick will have to get used to working together on the left side, but could be asked to change at a moment's notice.

Steelers' Top Offensive Priority Will Be Protecting Aaron Rodgers

It took long enough, but Aaron Rodgers is finally back wearing the Black and Gold. The veteran signed another one-year deal with the hopes of repeating as AFC North champions. At 42 years of age, it's hard to knock him for not wanting to get hit. The signal-caller got rid of the ball very quickly in 2025, and having an offensive line that gives him time in 2026 will be absolutely critical for the unit to be successful.

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