3\. Bruener, who played for three different head coaches and six different defensive coordinators during his time at Washington, was a steading force for the defense. He was a team captain in 2024 and helped as the team headed into the Big Ten conference.
4\. He earned consensus third-team All-Big Ten honors (coaches and media) and was the only Washington player invited to the NFL Combine in 2025.
5\. Bruener is no stranger to Pittsburgh, as his father, Mark Bruener, was drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft and is currently a Steelers scout. When Bruener was drafted, he was at the same family home along the coast in Washington where his dad was 30 years ago when he was selected by the Steelers, even sitting in the same spot in the living room.
Bruener was born a Steelers fan, with evidence in the images below.