While the litany of Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line injuries earns a hearty thumbs down, the team’s replacements are earning two thumbs up. Speaking about rookie OG Mason McCormick and second-year OG Spencer Anderson, Mike Tomlin offered praise for both, a pair of players seeing more action than the team anticipated heading into 2024.
“Double thumbs up on both guys,” Tomlin said Tuesday during his weekly press conference via the team’s YouTube channel. “But again, I’m not surprised by it. Both guys have shown maturity beyond their years in this developmental process and play to boot. And thankfully, I expect that to continue.”
Anderson has played in every game this season, starting the first three at left guard while OG Isaac Seumalo has missed the first month with a pectoral injury. He didn’t start Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts but replaced RG James Daniels early in the contest after he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. Pittsburgh’s seventh-round draft pick last season, versatility allowed Anderson to stick on the 53-man roster as a rookie. The Steelers focused him on guard this year and Anderson received left guard reps in training camp when Seumalo got rest days. Those reps paid off when Seumalo went down one week before the regular season began.
Anderson’s play has been average at best and a lack of run-game power seemed to open the door for McCormick to play in Week 3 and start Week 4. But Anderson hasn’t been a total liability either and brings a well-rounded game.
McCormick became the third offensive lineman the Steelers drafted in 2024, a move that might’ve felt like excess but is depth that’s paying off. He made his debut against the Los Angeles Chargers, rotating with Anderson at left guard while seeing tackle-eligible snaps, and got the start Sunday in the Steelers’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts. On first watch, he’s played well and impressed with a strong training camp, picking up OL Coach Pat Meyer’s system quicker than most others.
Still, getting Seumalo back for Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys would be huge for the o-line and the offense. In his press conference, Tomlin hinted that is a real possibility after Seumalo worked in a limited fashion throughout last week. If Seumalo starts at left guard, Tomlin left the right guard discussion up in the air. He indicated a rotation between McCormick and Anderson could occur or that the team could roll with just one player.
While McCormick had gained ground on Anderson, he was a left guard in college and has worked at left guard for most of his rookie year. Anderson has also acknowledged that he’s more comfortable playing right guard than on the left side.
“I think that’ll be determined with the quality of play in terms of how we distribute reps during the course of the week. I’m open to it. I’m also open to playing one guy exclusively if they distinguish themselves,” Tomlin said of the battle.
Though the plan was to have Anderson and McCormick sit for most of 2024 with an eye on competing for a starting spot in 2025, the NFL rarely allows best-laid plans to carry out. Pittsburgh’s commitment to building o-line depth is paying off, even if it’s being tested in ways few teams can handle with ease.
