The Pittsburgh Steelers got embarrassed in Week 2 after the offensive showing they put on. It all started with the offensive line being unable to consistently block the opposing front. That unit allowed six tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, and four sacks, with two of them resulting in fumbles and one of them being returned for a touchdown. The New England Patriots' defense scored more points than Pittsburgh did. In fact, the defense for the Black and Gold has reached the end zone as many times as the other side of the ball so far this season.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers takes a hit during a road loss to the Patriots in 2026.
There was one play in particular that summed up the Steelers' game. A blitzer has a free shot on Aaron Rodgers' blindside, and he gets creamed. The quarterback fumbles the ball, and it gets kicked around until Pittsburgh finally falls on it for a 37-yard loss. The offense went from being in easy field goal to going back to its side of the field and having to punt the ball back.
Fans and the media were throwing blame around for what happened on that play. In his latest article for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, insider Ray Fittipaldo revealed who ended up taking the blame for that terrible play.
"Center Zach Frazier said he did not communicate the call down the line to Troy Fautanu, who was supposed to block Christian Elliss," Fittipaldo said. "The mistake led to a brutal blindside hit on [Aaron] Rodgers and a fumble that took the Steelers out of field goal range."
This was a massive storyline for the defense in recent years, and now these miscommunications are plaguing the offensive line. The Steelers wanted to adjust the blocking scheme for this play, and it would have likely worked if center Zach Frazier told left tackle Troy Fautanu about the change of plan. Instead, he and guard Mason McCormick double-teamed one man while the other came in unblocked.
Communication errors like that just can't happen. While going through the usual Monday routine, this group has to make sure that everyone gets on the same page. These little errors should not even be present in the regular season. Everyone in this position group should get together with Rodgers and make sure they know all the calls, or else he likely won't be able to play all 17 games.
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Pittsburgh Steelers center Zach Frazier (54) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Frazier himself has been a great center. Since he has the fundamentals and technique down, the Steelers have been putting a focus on making him a leader. That means he needs to communicate calls to all his line mates no matter what. He has to be the voice that everyone listens to, since he's right in the middle. Isaac Seumalo is no longer here to help him out on that front.
Steelers Have A Microscope On Frazier To See His True Worth
Frazier will be looking to get a massive extension after the 2026 season concludes, as 2027 will be the final year of his rookie deal. Physically, he is seen as one of the best centers in the NFL, as his name gets brought up along with Tyler Linderbaum and Creed Humphrey. What really helps his case is that the former just completely reset the market. However, he still has to work on the leadership and mental part of the game.
The Steelers will find any reason to not give him loads of guaranteed money. If Frazier keeps struggling with the communication and leadership parts of his job, they will happily hold that against him to try and force him to take a team-friendly deal. Not only does the center affect how the season goes, but millions of dollars are on the line here. He can't give Pittsburgh any reason to lowball him.
What do you think about Frazier taking responsibility for allowing Rodgers to take a big hit after failing to communicate with Fautanu on that play? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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