With the Pittsburgh Steelers drafting OT Max Iheanachor in the first round, questions about Troy Fautanu’s position were raised immediately. Iheanachor almost exclusively played right tackle in college, while Fautanu excelled at right tackle last season but has experience playing on the left side in college.
Fautanu played left tackle during the Steelers’ first OTA session today, but speaking to the media, he said he isn’t sure if that’s going to be a long-term thing.
“I’ve had a lot of talks with the coaches. Right now it’s still kind of up in the air. First day of OTAs just kind of getting out there, obviously the past couple weeks just flipping back and forth. Just trying to get comfortable, but obviously if they ask me to play there, I’m gonna play,” Fautanu said via Chris Adamski of TribLive on Twitter.
Troy Fautanu said he’s been flipping back and forth over the spring from left to right tackle. But talks with coaches led to LT for the first day of OTAs pic.twitter.com/pD8LB3jy2e
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 18, 2026
After the Steelers selected Iheanachor, Mike McCarthy told reporters that the Steelers had flipped sides for their linemen, like Fautanu, during voluntary minicamp to help their positional flexibility. In drafting Iheanachor, it could signal a more permanent flip for Fautanu and a return to his college position.
Today, with Fautanu at left tackle, Dylan Cook played right tackle. The Steelers also flipped Mason McCormick to left guard, keeping him next to Fautanu, and Fautanu said he “wouldn’t want to play next to anyone else,” via Adamski, signaling that if the Steelers keep Fautanu on the left side, McCormick could be coming with him.
Steelers OT Troy Fautanu on G Mason McCormick: "I wouldn't wanna play next to anyone else."
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 18, 2026
Fautanu also downplayed the idea of moving inside to guard.
“I mean, I don’t want to play guard, but if I have to I can. I think I can hang with those guys on the edge,” he said via Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
The big unknown in the Steelers’ offensive line is Broderick Jones. Jones is still recovering from a neck injury, and when he gets back healthy, we’ll see if the team wants to stick him back at left tackle. The length of the recovery process will matter, as the sooner Jones returns, the less time Fautanu will have repping as the starting left tackle, making the transition back to the right side easier.
But Jones has also been inconsistent, and the Steelers might see Fautanu as their left tackle of the future, and moving him back and forth could hurt his development. Jones could work as the swing tackle and Fautanu at left tackle with one of Cook or Iheanachor on the right side.
It does sound as if Fautanu could move to left tackle long-term, especially given that’s where he played today. But it’s still not finalized, and likely won’t be for a few months.
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