While the Pittsburgh Steelers are known for their defense, they have a rich history at the center position as well. Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson are already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Maurkice Pouncey also put together a stellar career, and perhaps he’ll be enshrined in the Hall of Fame one day as well. Now, there’s hope that torch has been passed to Zach Frazier. As a rookie, Frazier put together a great season, even receiving an endorsement from Pouncey. Now, he’s revealed what it was like meeting the Steelers legend.
“I met him before the Chargers game,” Frazier said Monday during an interview with Missi Matthews on the team’s YouTube channel. “It was just really cool because he was obviously a great player here. I’ve always looked up to him, just growing up watching the Steelers. He was a great player for a long time, so really cool to meet him.”
Last year, during an appearance on Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast, Pouncey spoke in detail about Frazier. He only had good things to say, too. That Chargers game came in Week 3, too, so Frazier didn’t have many NFL games under his belt at that point. Despite that, he clearly left a positive impression on Pouncey.
As a two-time first-team All-Pro, three-time second-team All-Pro, and nine-time Pro Bowler, Pouncey knows what it takes to succeed as an NFL center. Having his stamp of approval should have done a lot to boost Frazier’s confidence. He didn’t slow down after that meeting, either. Aside from suffering an ankle injury, Frazier was as good as any other rookie offensive lineman last season.
Frazier was even named the Steelers’ best rookie in 2024, the first offensive lineman to earn that award since Mike Adams in 2012. It’s important to note that Pouncey also earned that recognition. While that doesn’t guarantee Frazier will go on to be a Hall of Fame-level talent, it is a good sign for that he’ll be the Steelers’ center for the future.
That would be great news. Frazier doesn’t need to be the best center in the league. If he can give the Steelers stability at that position for a number of years, then he’ll end up as a home-run selection. After Pouncey retired following the 2020 season, Steelers fans got a good look at how negatively a bad center can impact a team. Kendrick Green and Mason Cole struggled to give the Steelers any consistency at the pivot.
With one NFL season under his belt, the future is bright for Frazier. For a number of years recently, the Steelers’ offensive line was one of their biggest weaknesses. Now, they have several young starters in place who should change that. Frazier should be at the center of that, literally.
