Steelers' Broderick Jones injury questions loom over Max Iheanachor draft pick

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones (77) reacts as he takes the field against the Seattle Seahawks at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted a talented offensive tackle, Max Iheanachor, in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

It was fair to wonder what that might mean for Broderick Jones after some serious injury issues.

Jones has been a stable tackle for Pittsburgh when healthy.

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Lately, he hasn't been healthy a lot.

"The Steelers' 2023 first-round pick sustained a season-ending neck injury and had surgery soon after, and his timeline to return is still murky," ESPN's Brooke Pryor wrote on Thursday night after the Steelers had drafted Iheanachor. "Though the Steelers maintain he is on an expected timeline to return following the surgery, it remains unclear if he'll be able to play by training camp or the start of the season as he works to regain his strength."

Iheanachor wasn't taken exclusively because of Jones, but the overlap doesn't hurt, either.

"(GM Omar) Khan on Thursday night acknowledged there was some concern with Jones, but Iheanachor's position flexibility made him the right pick regardless of Jones' health," Pryor wrote.

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Iheanachor certainly has a cool story, and there's plenty of reason to believe in his ability wherever he ends up on the Pittsburgh line.

"Iheanachor, who moved to the United States from Nigeria at 13, played basketball and soccer before switching to football later, and that background gave him a strong foundation to develop his football footwork," Pryor writes. "In picking Iheanachor, the Steelers spurned adding a top-tier wide receiver and are instead betting on their ability to develop and mold one of the more raw prospects and help him hit a high ceiling."

Pittsburgh's season will still hinge on whether or not Aaron Rodgers returns. But at least the future of its offensive line is brighter with Iheanachor in the fold.

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