PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers still haven’t handed the Week 1 right tackle job to anyone, but the early edge is going to Dylan Cook.
Head coach Mike McCarthy stopped short of naming a starter for the opener against the Atlanta Falcons, yet Cook has been getting most of the first-team work while Pittsburgh eases Max Iheanachor back into the mix. Cook entered camp as the top right tackle option after starting the final six games of the 2025 season, and right now he looks like the safest bet to open the year there.
“Dylan’s been taking most of the reps at right tackle. So, ideally you want to have your first five guys working together as much as possible.
So, we’re just trying to work max in there. But we’re off to a good start,” McCarthy said on Cook.
Iheanachor’s situation is a little different. The rookie has missed too much time over the summer, and McCarthy made it clear that getting him ready is about more than just physical recovery. The mental side matters too, and the missed reps are a real hurdle for a first-year player trying to get on the field quickly.
“You’ve got injuries and players miss game because of injuries, business situations, whatever the criteria is. I mean, there’s availability and accountability.
That’s the most important part of this. Being available every single day is huge, especially if you’re a rookie, you’re a first-time player.
We all see there’s so much to love about Max. It’s just in the time that he’s been out there.
It’s impressive. Make no doubt about that.
He can play, but he hasn’t played. So it’s important to get ready,” McCarthy said.
For now, the Steelers sound comfortable with Cook, and McCarthy’s comments suggest he has the inside track to start. Still, offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said the team wants to “push” Iheanachor, a sign the rookie could work his way into the spot later this season.
In Other News...
Steelers Passing Game Suddenly Faces A Week 1 Concern
The Steelers passing game entered the final stretch of training camp with an unexpected obstacle, as DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. both missed nearly all of camp because of undisclosed injuries. For a group that was supposed to help give the offense a different look, the lack of reps matters, especially this close to the season opener against the Falcons. Timing, chemistry and route feel are hard to fake in September, and Pittsburgh now has to sort through how much of that can be rebuilt in a hurry.
Mike Tomlins offense may have to lean more on less experienced receivers and other pieces around the passing game if Metcalf and Pittman are not fully ready. That creates a different kind of Week 1 question for the Steelers, one with implications beyond a single game: whether the group can function well enough early on to keep the offense on schedule while its top names catch up on the work they lost in camp. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Face A Week 1 Problem They Werent Supposed To Have
The Steelers are heading into Week 1 with an unusual amount of uncertainty on the other sideline. Atlanta still has not named a starting quarterback for its opener in Pittsburgh, with the Falcons weighing Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. as the regular season approaches. Penix has only recently been cleared for full practice after a knee injury, while Tagovailoa has taken the lead in preseason work.
For Pittsburgh, the issue is less about which name is eventually announced than the preparation problem that comes with not knowing. The Falcons are the only team in the league without a starter set entering the regular season, which leaves the Steelers waiting on a key detail that should have been settled long before opening weekend. That kind of uncertainty can change how a defense studies film, plans its pressures and spends the final days before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Just Got A Familiar WR Safety Net Before Week 1
The Giants decision to release Darius Slayton right before the season opener immediately puts a familiar name back on the market for teams still looking for receiver help. For the Steelers, it is the kind of roster twist worth watching, since they have kicked the tires on Slayton before and remain in the kind of spot where added depth at wide receiver never hurts.
Slayton brings a long track record of NFL production, with 296 catches, 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns across 106 games. Whether Pittsburgh turns that past interest into a real pursuit now is the open question, but a veteran pass catcher with that kind of experience suddenly available always has a way of drawing attention this close to Week 1. [Read more 🡒]