Steelers may already be falling into classic Mike Tomlin trap
· Yahoo Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers may have changed head coaches, but Mike McCarthy is on the verge of falling into a classic Mike Tomlin trap.
Fans were painfully aware of Tomlin's willingness to use young offensive lineman in many different alignments in the name of versatility, and that constantly blew up in the Steelers face. Heading into 2026, McCarthy is gearing up to do the same with three promising offensive linemen.
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Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick, and Dylan Cook are expected to flip sides on the offensive line in 2026 in order to shore up Aaron Rodgers' blind side, but the move still seems completely unnecessary. Cook was coming off an incredible late-season performance in 2025 at left tackle, while McCormick and Fautanu were forming a strong connection at right guard and tackle, respectively.
Isaac Seumalo may have left a vacancy at left guard, but the Steelers were still positioned to return four of their five offensive linemen to the same spots they occupied in 2025. Instead, center Zach Frazier is the only starter expected to remain in his original position.
Yes, Fautanu played left tackle at Washington, McCormick played left guard at South Dakota State, and Cook played right tackle at Montana. The problem is disrupting the continuity they've established at the NFL level, especially given their success in 2025. Cook proved he was capable of handling blindside opportunities, a clear upgrade over the injured Broderick Jones.
This experiment could very well work in the Steelers favor, but this seems like an unnecessary gamble that Tomlin is well known for. The shift will definitely be a storyline to keep an eye on training camp, but it honestly seems like an odd decision for what's shaping up to be Rodgers' final season in the league.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers may already be falling into classic Mike Tomlin trap