The Pittsburgh Steelers saw a lot of progress from their offensive line in their Week 3 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. Part of the reason for that was the introduction of first-round rookie Max Iheanachor, who did a nice job of sealing off his edge. He definitely looks like he is ready for the spotlight, and there will indeed be a microscope placed on him when Pittsburgh plays the Cleveland Browns in Week 4. He did well in an early game, but everyone will see how he performs in primetime on short rest.
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Max Iheanachor (71) blocks Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Cedric Johnson (52) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium.
The Browns have gotten off to a surprisingly hot start, and the Steelers have historically struggled in Cleveland, especially on Thursday Night Football. The new coaching staff will have an opportunity to turn this narrative around and perform well in this tough spot, but this game could have serious playoff implications. If the Steelers can start the year 3-1 while being 2-0 in the division, it may be on its way to hosting another playoff game.
Beating the Browns on the road is much easier said than done, especially for the rookie tackle. While making an appearance on the Locked On Steelers Podcast, Nick Farabaugh explained how this could be a problematic situation for Iheanachor in his first road start.
"Are we going to see false starts? Are we going to see illegal formations?" Farabaugh asked. "Are we going to see things like that pop up on the road because communication is harder on the road... You're getting a rookie right tackle in the Dawg Pound, and it's a ruckus environment; it's not an easy environment... It's going to be a test for Max Iheanachor just to keep his cool, to not jump, and to do these basic things that could set the Steelers' offense on schedule."
There was reportedly great communication with Iheanachor during Week 3, but that's much easier to do in front of your home crowd, as it gets quiet to help the offense. At Huntington Bank Field, the Browns fans will make sure to get very loud when the Steelers are on offense. These young players will just have to adjust accordingly and pay extra attention to all the calls and assignments coming in.
The fact that it's a short week makes everything harder on guys like Iheanachor, as there is very little time to work on these calls and figure out a lot of these things, like the silent snap count or a quick audible to a new assignment. If he can't figure out this tough task quickly, it's going to be a long night for Aaron Rodgers and the offense as this stout defense will keep getting in the backfield.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Max Iheanachor makes his NFL debut against the Atlanta Falcons on September 13, 2026.
There has been plenty of praise for how the rookie lineman has developed and learned so quickly, so it's not like this is an impossible task. Even if he does have a terrible game, it's still good for him to get that experience, so he can figure out how to avoid that situation in the future and learn how to communicate on the road. If he's going to be a generational tackle like many in the organization believe, he has to play great in these hostile spots.
Steelers May Want To Design A Gameplan Specifically For Iheanachor
Even with the experience he will get, it's not like the Steelers want to leave him on an island all game if he's struggling and risk an injury to Rodgers. In Week 3, there were a lot of runs to the left, and that may be the case again. If they do go to the right or have a long-developing pass play, it would be beneficial to have Darnell Washington line up next to him to help seal that edge.
What do you think about Iheanachor's first start in Cleveland against the Browns? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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