Last Wednesday, during the second padded practice of training camp, the first fight of the year broke out when QB Justin Fields was tackled to the ground by ILB Elandon Roberts. It wasn’t an egregious hit, but quarterbacks are off limits and protected at practice. Rookie OG Mason McCormick and others took exception to that hit and retaliated, which started the full-team scrum.
For the first time since the fight, McCormick spoke to media before Saturday’s practice and detailed why he got involved in the dust-up.
“I mean, that’s what we get paid to do is protect the quarterback whatever it takes,” McCormick said in a clip posted by 93.7 the Fan on X. “What E-Rob did, I think it was accidental, and we move on and it is what it is. But we’re gonna protect the quarterback always.”
McCormick noted that there are no hard feelings and that everything is “all cool.” Even Roberts acknowledged after the fight that the offensive line was just doing its job and that he wouldn’t hit the quarterback like that again.
McCormick’s mentality is exactly what offensive linemen should have. Protect your guys at all costs. There were times throughout the last few years where linemen weren’t helping Ben Roethlisberger or Kenny Pickett off the ground. A lot of that had to do with the youth of the offensive line, so it is nice to see the new young guys are coming with the right mentality.
McCormick has already been receiving first-team reps when Isaac Seumalo gets veteran days off practice. He has a good chance to be the starting guard in 2025 when James Daniels leaves in free agency. Even team president Art Rooney II heaped praise on McCormick recently, calling him a throwback player.
Along with Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier — Mike Tomlin described the three as inseperable on and off the field — the future of the offensive line is very bright.
