He’s made just two starts at right tackle, but Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Broderick Jones is taking the league by storm right now, playing a key role in getting the Steelers’ run game out of the mud.
In his two starts at right tackle the last two weeks, Jones has helped the Steelers rush for 166 yards and a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans in a 20-16 win, and then 205 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-19 win over the Green Bay Packers — both at home.
Not only is he having great success in the run game, he’s holding up very well in pass protection, too. He’s allowed just two total pressures in his 64 pass blocking reps at right tackle.
Earlier in the week leading up to the matchup against the Packers, Jones credited the competitive practice environments that the Steelers have for helping the rookie class he’s part of get up to speed. Turns out, not only is he playing well, he’s getting some credit for helping make T.J. Watt better, too.
No, seriously. Watt, appearing on the Green Light Podcast with former NFL defensive end Chris Long and former NFL offensive lineman Kyle Long Monday afternoon, praised Jones for the work he’s putting in during practice, giving him good looks throughout the week. That in turns helps Watt prepare at a high level daily, leading to his dominance on the field — in a way.
“It’s fun for me to go up against Broderick in practice ’cause it’s a young guy that’s always trying to continue to ask me things. And it’s fun for me to go up against a guy that’s always trying something new,” Watt said, according to video via the Green Light podcast page. “He’s not just trying to beat me, holding his hands every single play. He’s always doing something different. He’s actually trying things so we can work together.
“And I think it’s making both of us better.”
The fact that Jones not only has the willingness, but the confidence, to try something new daily against a player the caliber of Watt in practice is very, very encouraging. The guy fears nothing, has supreme confidence in himself and his abilities, and knows that practices are there for a reason: to try knew things, learn and grow.
What better player to go up against and do that daily than T.J. Watt? He’s not going to face a better pass rusher in the game each week than he does in practice.
That confidence is seemingly a Georgia thing though, at least from what Watt sees. It carries over to the rest of Jones’ teammates on the offensive side of the football, too, which has led to some of the success the Steelers have had on the ground the last two weeks.
“He’s been a boost and, I mean, something about those Georgia guys that just come in with crazy confidence. It must be just that SEC-type confidence. They feel like they’ve seen it all and it’s contagious,” Watt said of Jones’ confidence, according to video via the Green Light podcast YouTube page. “When you have a guy that comes in and believes in himself, goes to work every day, is just trying to develop and has that smash mouth mentality…he’s very gritty at how he finishes plays.”
Jones has brought that physical, edgy element to the Steelers’ offensive line and it’s showing the last two weeks. That’s the type of juice and mentality that the Steelers need up front, and Jones is providing that in abundance. There’s no matchup he fears, no situation he isn’t comfortable in. That might have to do with playing high-level football at Georgia.
Whatever it may be though, the Steelers are very fortunate to have a player like Jones. He’s making them better in games and in practices, all while trying to get better himself.
