Steelers Rookie Max Iheanachor Called Out By Hall Of Famer For Brutal Week 4 Performance

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line was yet again a major reason why the team lost. Pittsburgh fell 27-24 in a primetime matchup against the Cleveland Browns, a game that Steelers fans will want to forget as quickly as possible. The offense made some splash plays, but ultimately was not consistent enough to finish the job. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was under immense pressure all night, resulting in two costly interceptions and being sacked five times. While the offensive line had a breakout game in Week 3, the unit came crashing back down to earth against the Browns.

The weak link on the offensive line against the Browns was arguably rookie tackle Max Iheanachor. Pittsburgh selected the Nigerian native in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. It was originally believed that Iheanachor would be a second-string player during the majority of his rookie season, due to his raw talent and inexperience, not playing organized football until 2021. Things change quickly in the NFL, as Iheanachor found his way into the starting lineup in just his third game as a pro against the Cincinnati Bengals. He performed well in his first start, as well as the offensive line as a whole. The unit was primed for another good performance in Week 4, but that idea soured quickly.

The unit gave Rodgers no time to operate, as he was scrambling for his life for the majority of the game. Pittsburgh abandoned much of the run game early in the second half as the team was already trailing by two possessions. While the offense did everything they could and were able to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, the hole they dug themselves into during the first half was too deep to climb out of.

During a recent episode of Wake Up Barstool, Hall of Fame offensive tackle Joe Thomas commented on Iheanachor's rocky performance.

"Iheanachor was getting nervous," Thomas stated. "He was bailing out off his back foot as fast as he could... he was getting off the ball late as well."

Coming from a Hall of Famer at the same position as Iheanachor, those comments are not very encouraging. Iheanachor was viewed as a project player who would need time and experience to gain the proper technique necessary to compete at the highest level. While he has been very inconsistent thus far, two games is a very small sample size and the young player has plenty of time to learn from his mistakes and lack of reps. 

There is no reason to believe that Iheanachor will not be in the starting lineup as the Steelers have 10 days to prepare for their matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. Iheanachor will need to watch plenty of film during this time period to quickly fix the issues he had against the Browns. Steelers fans should continue to have faith in the young offensive tackle, as he could very well become one of the team's best offensive linemen with a little more time.

Steelers' Offensive Line Has Performed Well In The Run Game

So far in 2026, Pittsburgh's rushing attack has been an underrated part of the offense. The first two weeks of the season started slowly, but running back Jaylen Warren and the offensive line have been able to find their footing in this department since then. In Week 3, Warren rushed for 127 yards, averaging a stellar 7.5 yards per carry. While the Steelers abandoned the run game against the Browns as mentioned, Warren still put up 93 rushing yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, which is still a very solid mark. The Steelers' offensive performance was very inconsistent in Week 4, but the team still managed 24 points. 

Since the rushing attack has been much more efficient, Pittsburgh has been putting up many more points than it did in the first two games of the season. If Pittsburgh can get off to better starts for the rest of the season, the run game could open up even more, allowing for the offense to keep the ball on the ground and not be forced to throw as often. 

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