Broderick Jones doesn’t know what his future holds with the Steelers, but he understands the position that they are in. With the former first-round pick working to return from a major neck injury, Pittsburgh drafted another tackle in the first round. One anticipates that Troy Fautanu and rookie Max Iheanachor are their intended starters, leaving Jones on the outside looking in. C’est la vie.
“It’s all a business at the end of the day,”, Broderick Jones said yesterday, via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He was referring to the Steelers’ decision to draft Iheanachor, their third tackle in the first round in four years. That line of tackles began with Jones himself, who hasn’t quite lived up to their lofty expectations.
Aside from expectation of performance, the Steelers, and Jones, now have to worry about expectations over availability. Jones suffered a freak neck injury in the second half of last season. Initially classed as a stringer, the injury soon landed him on the Reserve/Injured List. He later underwent neck surgery during the offseason, and he admits there is no timetable for his return.
“I’m coming off a neck injury. No one knows what the future holds for me. They have to do what they need to do to protect themselves”, Jones said. “I don’t have any ill will. I’m down to help Max with whatever he needs. At the end of the day, we all have to be ready. Anything can happen at any time, so we all have to be ready”.
Since the Steelers drafted Broderick Jones 14th overall, he has started 38 of 45 games, including 12 at left tackle. He made his first career start at left tackle due to an injury to Dan Moore Jr. in 2023. For the remainder of that and the following season, he lined up at right tackle. With Moore leaving in free agency, however, the Steelers finally moved Jones to left tackle in 2025.
Even disregarding the injury, Jones’ play still suffered. Though he was playing better toward the end of his season a year ago prior to his neck injury, it still was far from elite play. Even if healthy, the Steelers may have still declined his fifth-year option this offseason. Either way, he is now officially in a contract year, with no guarantee of playing. Before he can worry about starting, however, he has to worry about being healthy.
“It’s all new to me”, Jones admitted about dealing with such a major injury. “I have a great support system around me. You have to take it day by day, lean on your teammates”, he added. “I’m ready for camp to come around and get back to balling”.
That is if he is medically cleared to ball by the time the Steelers turn toward Latrobe. And even if he is healthy, it’s not obvious how the coaching staff would handle it. Right now, with Broderick Jones sidelined and Max Iheanachor running second team, it’s Troy Fautanu and Dylan Cook operating as the first-team tackles. And they have flipped back and forth. If Jones is suddenly cleared, where does he play, how much, and when?