Reading Between the Lines: Will Steelers Rookie Max Iheanachor Start vs. Bengals?
· Yahoo Sports
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PITTSBURGH —Max Iheanachor continues to stack days on top of one another. Whether he does so as a Pittsburgh Steelers starter going forward remains to be seen.
If he does trot out with Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the offensive unit against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the rookie first-round draft pick believes that he’s ready for the moment.
“I’d definitely say 100%,” Iheanachor said.
Iheanachor was asked what gives him that level of confidence after serving as Dylan Cook‘s understudy at right tackle over the first two outings.
“Practice, just building up, trusting the install, just going out there knowing you’re prepared,” Iheanachor said.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Max Iheanachor at minicamp on June 3, 2026. — Ed Thompson / Steelers NowIheanachor, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 321 pounds, has worked beside guard Brock Hoffman since arriving in Pittsburgh, with both being backups. Right guard Spencer Anderson reportedly suffered a broken bone in his right leg during Week 2’s loss to the New England Patriots, meaning Hoffman could very well get the nod in his place. Being that head coach Mike McCarthy has stressed cohesion on the offensive line, Iheanachor could be paired up with him.
“I think just what the coaches do (helps), just mix guys in to just get reps next to each other,” Iheanachor said. “It’s been really good going with him. The same as everybody else, too. Just mixing in, just getting good reps with everybody, too.”
Rodgers praised Iheanachor on Wednesday, highlighting one particular part of the novice’s skillset.
“I like Max a lot,” Rodgers said after Wednesday’s practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I think he’s got a real bright future. In one sense, he’s raw, because he hasn’t played football that long. In the other sense, he’s got a beautiful set, and you don’t say that about every tackle. There’s nice sets, and then there’s beautiful sets, and I had two of the prettiest sets of all time at left tackle, for me, in Chad Clifton and David Bakhtiari. There was just something about the way those guys set that created very little lanes for a pass rusher.
“I think, when he hones his skills, Max is gonna have a chance to be a long-time staple on the offensive line here.”
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