Frustrated Broderick Jones Questions Steelers OT Decision

Broderick Jones opposed the Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to swap out right tackles throughout their Week 2 contest.

Sep 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones (77) blocks against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers made the puzzling decision to rotate their two former first-round picks at right tackle in Sunday's win over the Denver Broncos, which boomeranged on the team rather early in the contest.

The expectation coming into the game was that Troy Fautanu, the No. 20 overall selection in 2024, would start at right tackle while grabbing a firm hold of that role in his NFL debut.

He suffered an MCL sprain in the Steelers' preseason opener against the Houston Texans, yet returned to practice in recent weeks and earned first-team reps leading into the team's Week 2 matchup against the Broncos.

Broderick Jones, who was chosen No. 14 overall in 2023, was then slated for relegation to the bench as Pittsburgh's swing tackle. He started 10 games at right tackle as a rookie and did so in Week 1 versus the Atlanta Falcons, though it was clear that he was losing his appeal within the organization.

The Steelers' decision to alternate between Fautanu and Jones came completely out of left field, as teams don't typically mess with their alignment on the offensive line during a game due to the importance of continuity and communication.

Fautanu began the contest with the starters and played well throughout, allowing zero pressures while taking 55 snaps.

It wasn't as smooth-sailing for Jones, who only appeared on offense for 11 snaps after committing three penalties on a single second-quarter drive. Infractions were a widespread issue for the entire unit, but Jones had a huge hand in it and was afterwards pulled for the remainder of the game.

Head coach Mike Tomlin admitted that Jones' lack of discipline limited his opportunities, though he himself stated that he didn't feel like he should've been on the field unless he was the starter.

“Not really," Jones said. "If I'm not starting I really don’t feel like I should be playing. It’s really not a big factor for me."

Jones did however acknowledge that he didn't put his best foot forward as well and vowed to improve moving forward.

“I just wanted to go out there and do the best of my ability every chance I had out there, which I didn’t,” Jones said. “A couple of stupid calls. Just got to play more clean, be better and just finish.”

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