Behind the Steel Curtain
There are a lot of eyes on the Pittsburgh Steelers entering the 2025 season. With all of the additions and transactions the franchise made in the offseason, the Steelers have gone all in on this campaign to make a deep run into January – something they haven’t done in almost a decade.
One player they are getting back is right tackle Troy Fautanu. The Washington product missed all but one game in 2024 due to a knee injury. Fautanu spoke with Behind The Steel Curtain after Tuesday’s practice, and he shared with me the positive perspective he carries into every practice.
“It’s truly a joy to be back out here with my guys,” Fautanu said. “I’m just constantly reminding myself when I’m tired or I gotta wake up early that last year I wasn’t able to play football. So just being out here is just fun, man.”
The second-year right tackle isn’t numb to the situation and circumstance, though. He knows that the Steelers’ success hinges on their ability to open up run lanes and keep Aaron Rodgers clean.
“We have a lot to live up to,” Fautanu said. “A lot is expected out of us. From this offense, from these coaches, and from ourselves. We hold each other accountable. So I just think that as we continue to grow, obviously, there’s going to be pains there, but that’s football. You’ve got to continue to keep going and get better because in the NFL you ain’t got no time to shy away.”
The Steelers will take the field for the first time in exhibition play this Saturday when they travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars. It is still unknown if their starters will play.
