During the later stages of Ben Roethlisberger’s career, the Pittsburgh Steelers had an amazing offensive line. Since that unit dissolved, they’ve struggled to have as much success up front. This year, it looked like they were going to have a strong, young core, but injuries have decimated them. Guard Mason McCormick has been thrust into a starting role, but it sounds like he’s prepared due to the work of offensive line coach Pat Meyer.
“He’s done a tremendous job,” McCormick said Thursday on Steelers Nation Radio’s The Drive. “I can speak for myself, coming from South Dakota State, I had some things to learn, and he taught me exponentially quick.
“I’m gonna keep getting better and better and just having trust in him,” McCormick added. “But the tools and things he has given me have allowed me to grow into this player I’m becoming. And he’s gonna keep pushing me in the future.”
Meyer has been with the Steelers since 2022, and he’s often been the subject of criticism. The Steelers’ offensive line hasn’t been great at times, but this year has proved that having patience with him was the right call. Obviously, McCormick isn’t going to throw his coach under the bus, but it’s clear he’s a positive influence on his players.
Take one look at Dan Moore Jr. He’s been a starter for the Steelers since his rookie year, and much of that time has been ugly to watch. However, Moore has continued to improve every year. This year, he’s been the most consistent piece of the Steelers’ offensive line, staving off Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones.
Some of that can be attributed to Moore’s good work ethic, but Meyer deserves some credit as well. He’s done well with some of the other young players this year. Fautanu’s season ended before it could start, but he looked promising. Zach Frazier looks like a stud. Jones has been disappointing, but that could be due to other factors.
Meyer deserves the most praise for having the Steelers’ offensive line looking fine despite all their injuries. At the moment, they’re missing Fautanu, Frazier, James Daniels and Nate Herbig. Through about two games of action, backup center Ryan McCollum has looked serviceable. Spencer Anderson has flipped between both guard spots, and he hasn’t looked terrible.
McCormick is a rookie drafted in the fourth round out of a smaller school, and yet, he doesn’t look out of place starting. All of that is a credit to Meyer. All those players have worked hard, and Meyer has given them the keys to succeed. He hasn’t always done a perfect job, but this year, Meyer deserves some applause. Hopefully he continues to fly the Steelers’ offense line on an upward trajectory.
