How Rookie Zach Frazier Won Steelers Game

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie center Zach Frazier played a huge role in his return to action during the team's Week 10 win.

Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) calls out a coverage while waiting for center Zach Frazier (54) to snap the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The return of rookie center Zach Frazier had reverberating effects throughout the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 10 win over the Washington Commanders, though no moment was more important than one of his final snaps of the contest.

The Steelers, of course, clinched the victory when Commanders rookie defensive lineman Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton jumped offsides on a 4th-and-1 play with his team down a single point and just over a minute left in the game.

Russell Wilson's hard count obviously played a part in coaxing Newton to enter the neutral zone early, but The Washington Post's Sam Fortier revealed that the Commanders' newcomer also felt compelled to jump based on a "tell" he had been reading from Frazier.

"All game, the rookie said, he was firing off the ball because the Steelers’ center had a tell," Fortier wrote. "On fourth and one near midfield with 62 seconds left, the Commanders needed a stop, and Newton read quarterback sneak. But the Steelers faked the snap, and Newton jumped, giving Pittsburgh a win-clinching first down."

Frazier told reporters that the Steelers never had any intention of snapping the ball and attempting to pick up a first down, so their sell job worked as originally hoped.

Players of all positions are tasked with reading their keys and working off of what they see unfolding in front of them on the field, and Newton clearly believed that he had cracked the code the instant he fired off the ball.

Frazier and the rest of Pittsburgh's offense outsmarted him, however, and the entire situation will quickly turn into a teaching moment for Newton, who is immensely talented and holds a bright future.

The Steelers missed Frazier during his brief absence, which began with an ankle injury he sustained against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6 and lasted through the team's Week 9 bye.

He's performed as one of the best centers in the NFL since making his debut in Week 1 and helped stabilize an offensive line that's been decimated by injuries all season.

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