Nobody expected the Pittsburgh Steelers to keep 11 rookies on their final 53-man roster, but that’s exactly what happened. All 10 of their 2026 draft picks made the team, and undrafted rookie Kevin Jobity Jr. stuck as well. The surprising part came in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons: Pittsburgh carried that much youth on the roster, then barely used it.
In the season opener at home, not a single rookie saw meaningful action on offense or defense. Five rookies were active and did get work on special teams, but as a group the class totaled only 16 offensive and defensive snaps.
Riley Nowakowski led the way among the rookies with eight snaps, while Germie Bernard and Eli Heidenreich each logged three. Daylen Everette and Max Iheanachor played one snap apiece, and Kaden Wetjen, Robert Spears-Jennings, Gabriel Rubio, Gennings Dunker, Kevin Jobity Jr., and Drew Allar either didn’t play or were inactive.
The Steelers’ offense was on the field for 67 snaps, per Pro Football Reference, which makes the rookie usage look even thinner. The three rookie skill players - Nowakowski, Bernard, and Heidenreich - combined for just 14 offensive snaps. Iheanachor’s lone offensive play came after Troy Fautanu went down, with Dylan Cook sliding over to left tackle for one snap.
Everette was the only rookie to appear on defense, and even that came in a brief window early in the game. Veteran cornerback Jamel Dean got rolled up on and had to come off for one snap while trainers checked him, and Everette filled in for that single play before Dean returned.
That left seven active rookies combining for just 16 offensive and defensive snaps in Week 1. The other four rookies - Gabriel Rubio, Gennings Dunker, Kevin Jobity Jr., and Drew Allar - were healthy scratches.
Pittsburgh did have no hesitation using rookies on special teams. Nowakowski led the rookie group there too, with 17 snaps. Everette handled work as a special teams defenseman, while Heidenreich and Wetjen served as the primary return specialists.
Still, special teams only tells part of the story. If the Steelers are going to get anything meaningful from this class, the offense and defense have to open up some space for them.
This is only Week 1, and there’s no reason to overreact to Mike McCarthy’s first game plan with the rookies. But the pattern can’t stay this flat for long.
The Steelers tied the Atlanta Falcons for the oldest roster in the NFL after 53-man cutdowns, with an average age of 27.1, per Philly Voice. If the team looks sluggish, that’s part of the explanation.
Not every rookie needs to be thrown into the fire. McCarthy clearly isn’t about to make Iheanachor or Dunker starters on the offensive line this early, and Allar, listed as the QB4, may not see a snap all year. But there are other places where youth can help.
Bernard’s usage stood out the most because of Pittsburgh’s struggles throwing the ball. Aaron Rodgers finished Week 1 by completing 24 of 40 passes for 5.5 yards per attempt and a 37.0 QBR, so it’s fair to wonder whether Bernard could have offered something more with a bigger role.
For now, Nowakowski is the only rookie with a real game-day role. The rest of the class needs a chance to get involved, and soon.
The Steelers built a roster with one-fifth rookies. They can’t afford to leave them on the shelf for long.
Pittsburgh heads to face the New England Patriots on the road next, and the expectation is simple: some of those rookie snaps need to start showing up.
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