Steelers Now
Carson Bruener bring an NFL pedigree and follows the track of a stud special teamer who could grow his role with the team as we have seen before.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers made a very Steeler-like move when they drafted Carson Bruener on Saturday. They used the first of their 2025 NFL Draft seventh-round selections to bring him where his roots run deep.
Bruener was not only one of the many Big Ten selections, but he also had a deep bloodline in the organization. His father, Mark Bruener, was selected 27th overall by the Steelers in the 1995 NFL Draft.
Steelers linebacker coach Scott McCurely sees glimpses in Carson and played at Pitt when Mark was with the Steelers.
“(Mark is a) legend here in Pittsburgh, watched him play growing up. And I think that pedigree really carries over when you see Carson play.” McCurely said of the father-son duo after the draft pick was made.
Mark went on to play nine seasons in Pittsburgh including three AFC Title appearances and a Super Bowl appearance. He also served on the NFL Players Association Executive Committee before retiring in 2008 and joining the Steelers as the West Coast scout in 2018.
Not only does Carson bring his pedigree, but he is also expected to bring strong efforts to special teams.
“He’s a four-phase guy, punt, punt return, kickoff, kickoff return. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast, he’s relentless. He should be a good player.” Special teams coordinator Danny Smith said of Bruener’s abilities in special teams.
It wasn’t too long ago the Steelers had two Watt brothers and two Edmunds brothers on the same team. Just two years ago, they also drafted Nick Herbig whose older brother Nate Herbig was also on the team. He started in special teams and has since carved out a role on defense.
Three years ago, in Kevin Colbert’s final draft, they selected current Steelers Connor Heyward in the seventh-round.
Heyward has not only carved out a role in special teams since his selection but has also been used in various positions of offense. He is, of course, the younger brother of Cameron Heyward.
The Steelers undoubtedly love to bring in familiar names and faces. Most of all, they continue to build their roster through those football DNAs in special teams–seeing opportunities grow in other phases as well.
Alan Saunders and Aaron Becker provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Continue to Find Draft Value in NFL Bloodlines
