Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers guard Mason McCormick landed on Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus’ 2026 all-breakout team. McCormick, who’s heading into his third season as a starter, is expected to move to left guard this season after playing on the right side in 2024 and 2025.
“The Steelers have developed several homegrown offensive linemen on the rise in recent years, and McCormick could be the next breakout candidate,” Locker wrote.
“The South Dakota State product was significantly better in his second year, with his overall PFF grade jumping from 57.7 to 72.9. Much of that improvement was fostered by late-season success. From Week 10 and later, McCormick was the 10th-best guard by overall grade (79.2), powered by his 81.0 PFF pass-blocking mark.
“McCormick still has room to grow in the run game and in playing more steadily, but his work in pass protection could have him in improved standing under Mike McCarthy.”
The Steelers tweaked their alignment on the offensive line this spring, moving Troy Fautanu and McCormick to the left side.
McCormick has experience of playing on the left side, as he was a left guard in college at South Dakota State.
“At first when we were talking about it, Mason has probably close to 2,800, 3,000 reps at left guard in college, so his transition is pretty easy,” offensive line coach James Campen said. “And he’s been playing in consecutive games, where Troy had the hiccup there when he was injured.”
From a communication standpoint, keeping McCormick and Fautanu on the same side is vital.
“It was a thought, like, ‘Oh, OK, that’s fine, too,’” Campen said of keeping McCormick and Fautanu beside one another. “Because communication and those things are very important, but I can tell you, when you go to the left side or right side, the communication … now they’re working inside out, because now (Fautanu’s) on his left. So it is different.”
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy really values position flexibility.
Broderick Jones is dealing with a neck injury and his status for the 2026 season is unclear. Isaac Seumalo also left for Arizona in free agency.
“I really just wanted to get that left side set,” McCarthy said at OTAs. “Those guys were really excited about it.”
McCormick started all 17 games in the 2025 season, playing 1,031 offensive snaps. He earned a 71.0 overall PFF grade (21st among guards), a 71.5 pass-blocking grade, and a 66.7 run-blocking grade while allowing just four sacks and one penalty all year.
McCormick has started 31 of 34 games in his first two seasons in the NFL. He was inserted into the Steelers’ starting lineup in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts after James Daniels went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in the first quarter.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Rising Steelers Offensive Lineman Named to PFF’s 2026 All-Breakout Team
