If Mason McCormick can’t play Saturday night in Baltimore, the Steelers will start Spencer Anderson at right guard. Anderson began the season as the top backup guard, but McCormick supplanted him after two games. In the Steelers’ regular-sseason finale, however, McCormick suffered a broken hand and is questionable to play against the Ravens.
Drafted one year earlier, Anderson made sure to remind reporters that McCormick is actually older than he is. The Steelers drafted McCormick at nearly 24 years old, but they liked his potential. They viewed him as a potential future starter, but they had to start the future early when James Daniels suffered a season-ending injury. While he surely wanted to be the one to take over, Anderson only has praise for McCormick.
“He’s done great. Obviously, some people could easily be…mad about it, sad about it, whatever”, Anderson said of losing his role to McCormick, via the Steelers’ website. “But no, that’s immature to do things like that. That’s not being a good teammate or good player—being a good person. That’s not in my character”.
Due to Isaac Seumalo beginning the Steelers’ season injured, Spencer Anderson started the first three games of 2024. They began rotating in Mason McCormick, however, who then took over. Once Seumalo returned, the Steelers lost Daniels, and McCormick assumed a starting role.
On the whole, the rookie has also done a praiseworthy job, even receiving some accolades. The Steelers also like Anderson and have played him as an extra lineman. But actually starting games and playing all the snaps is obviously another matter.
The Steelers initially liked Anderson because of his versatility, the former seventh-round pick able to play all five positions. This year, they asked him to focus on guard, and he did begin the season as the top backup. He has no hard feelings about McCormick passing him on the depth chart since then. “That [would be] immature of me to think that I should be there or whatever. You’ve just got to be prepared when your number’s called”.
It’s unclear whether the Steelers will have to call Anderson’s number tomorrow. McCormick was limited in practice throughout the week, but that was likely the plan. And if he does play, they will have to decide exactly how to protect his injured hand.
Whether he plays or not, the Steelers will have some vulnerability at the position. Even granting Anderson’s ability to play, the reality is he hasn’t played much. And if McCormick does play, he will do so with a compromised left hand.
But that’s the nature of the beast, as if the Steelers didn’t know. After all, Mason McCormick is only starting because of James Daniels’ injury. Anderson would technically be their third-string guard, but he’s a better option than many other teams have. At least, the Steelers hope he is.
