After investing heavily in the offensive line during the 2024 NFL Draft, the Steelers seem poised to have two rookie starters in Week 1 of the season in OT Troy Fautanu and C Zach Frazier.
While the inexperience may be viewed by some as a cause for concern, former Steelers assistant coach Russ Grimm seems to disagree.
“I get the right type of guys and the right mindset in that offensive line room. I think they are going to be fine,” Grimm said on 93.7 The Fan earlier this week.
Grimm, better known for his play as a Hall-of-Fame lineman, referenced his 1981 Washington team where he and two other rookie offensive linemen started.
“I remember a team that started four rookie offensive linemen being the Redskins back in 1981, and we seemed to do alright,” Grimm said.
While Grimm says four, it was three with he, Joe Jacoby, and Melvin Jones all being rookie starters for the team. Jeff Bostic, the team’s center, was going into his second season.
It was the first step into the Joe Gibbs era in Washington where the team would be known for its high-scoring offense, headlined by a tough offensive line.
That philosophy quickly made Washington Super Bowl contenders, the franchise winning its first in 1983, just two years after Grimm was drafted. The line revitalized John Riggins’s career, the Hall of Famer leading the league in touchdowns in 1983 and 1984.
Even after Riggins retired the offensive line continued to lead the team to success, Washington winning two more Super Bowls. Grimm attributed that success to camaraderie and getting the “right players” in the building, allowing the team to gel right away.
With three established starters already entrenched on the line with Isaac Seumalo, James Daniels, and Broderick Jones, the Steelers figure to already have some of that camaraderie and chemistry already brewing up front.
Adding Frazier and Fautanu to a group with two multi-year starters in Pittsburgh figures to make the process of gelling much smoother for the two rookies, hopefully leading to several Super Bowls just like it did for Grimm and his team.
