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Broderick Jones Claps Back at Steelers Fans on Twitter

The Pittsburgh Steelers' right tackle had some words for his critics.

Jack Markowski

Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones (77) blocks Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (90) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones (77) blocks Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (90) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
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Following a loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones vented his frustration by engaging with fans who criticized his performance on Twitter.

There's no shortage of examples on Jones' page, and he wasted no time getting active in fans' replies.

He has faced plenty of scrutiny recently, a good chunk of which is unwarranted. Jones' career hasn't necessarily gotten off to a perfect start since going No. 14 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, but it's clear that the organization believes that he has what it takes to carve out a starting role for years to come.

He has essentially handled all of the criticism thrown his way with grace publicly, even when some of it felt like it went too far for one reason or another. While it's understandable that Jones' frustration would boil over, he has more or less fanned the flames and given his detractors exactly what they're looking for.

He drew a lot of flack when he committed three penalties on a single second quarter drive against the Denver Broncos in Week 2, which relegated him to the bench for the remainder of the contest. Rookie Troy Fautanu took the rest of the snaps at right tackle and played well, seemingly snatching the starting job from Jones for good.

A season-ending injury to Fautanu just days later only raised Jones' level of importance to the Steelers, however. He was solid against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3, allowing two pressures on 35 pass blocking reps according to Pro Football Focus, though he and the rest of the offensive line struggled in both the run and passing game versus the Colts.

As Pittsburgh diagnoses what went wrong in Indianapolis, they need Jones to be a part of the solution moving forward. While this situation doesn't reflect positively on anyone, it can quickly be dismissed as a one-off if he figures things out moving forward.

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Jack Markowski
JACK MARKOWSKI

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