Steelers' Max Iheanachor Has Massive Opportunity Following Return To Practice

The 2026 regular season for the Pittsburgh Steelers is rapidly approaching as they are just under three weeks away from kickoff. With the team starting off at home against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, they will quickly get a firsthand look at new head coach Mike McCarthy at Acrisure Stadium as he begins his tenure with the organization. There are many moving parts this season following a big flurry of moves during the NFL free agency period, and one of the biggest storylines heading into the season is how the offensive line will shake out.

One of the biggest question marks surrounding the Steelers' 2026 first-round draft pick Max Iheanachor is how quickly he could be ready for playing at the next level. He did not pick up playing football until 2021 when he played in junior college at East Los Angeles College. The 6'6", 320 pound lineman later transferred to Arizona State University and earned his way to being a first-round NFL draft pick.

With him being injured recently, the outlook was looking bleak as to whether or not he would be ready to go for September. However, team insider Nick Farabaugh was recently on an episode of Steelers Breakdown and gave his thoughts on the outlook for the offensive line overall. While it appeared Iheanachor would not be ready to go for the start of the regular season, recent developments seem to indicate that those hopes are not entirely out of the question.

“The big, kind of looming thing is it seems like Max Iheanachor is back,” Farabaugh said. “He practiced the last two days in pads. It seems like he is going to play on Thursday. All of a sudden, we maybe put the nail in the coffin a little too early for Max Iheanachor’s starting chances. He has a shot to come in late and get that job.” 

The news of him being back at practice and also in pads is an encouraging sign, especially as Farabaugh believes he will play in the final preseason game. It will give the rookie offensive lineman one more chance to show the coaching staff some flashes of what he can bring to the offensive front before they kickoff the regular season. Should he bring solid play to the field, he will have a couple of weeks of practice to work towards earning that starting role in Week 1.

Right now, Dylan Cook is slated as the starter at right tackle, but he hasn't necessarily locked that position down. If Iheanachor can impress on Thursday, that should make the decision for the coaching staff all the more difficult. 

Steelers Need Solid Offensive Line Play In 2026 Regardless Of RT Starter

The offensive line for the Black and Gold certainly still has its work cut out for them, as it is a unit with a lot of moving parts. However, with Cook's less than captivating play, and the extremely underwhelming performances by Broderick Jones, the Pittsburgh rookie lineman taking the job may be a positive that comes from the preseason. While Jones is battling back from a brutal neck injury that required spinal fusion surgery, his struggles have been seen against second and third string players this preseason.

If Iheanachor is ultimately able to be healthy ahead of the start of the season, a good showing of play will significantly boost his chances at getting the starting job. Regardless of what happens at the position, the sooner the starting offensive line is decided, the better it is for the team. With 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers taking over at the position once again, a strong offensive line will be key to improving the offense moving forward.

Cook filled in very well last season for the injured Jones, but fans want more. McCarthy is also known for being an offensive-minded coach, which is why the organization made sure to bring in weapons on offense via free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. The Steelers could have all the pieces; they just need to figure out which ones deserve to be on the field most.

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