There were some question marks surrounding second-year Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu entering the 2025 campaign, but he’s surpassed all expectations thus far.
On his “Snap Count” podcast, former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex gave a glowing review of Fautanu’s recent performance and made a rather bold declaration about the kind of player he’ll eventually become for the team.
“The kid keeps on getting better,” Essex said, per Steelers Depot’s Jake Brockhoff. “He had some ebb and flow; this is essentially his rookie year. But he is on a streak right now. These last few games, he’s just been balling. The kid is going to be a Pro Bowler. There’s no doubt in my mind. He’s that good.”
Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu (76) blocks at the line of scrimmage against Cleveland Browns defensive end Alex Wright (91) during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Fautanu’s Lost Rookie Year
The No. 20 overall selection out of Washington in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Fautanu was projected to step into an offensive line that was in the midst of a youth movement next to the likes of second-rounder Zach Frazier, fourth-rounder Mason McCormick and 2023 first-round selection Broderick Jones, who he was more or less battling with for the starting right tackle job.
Fautanu appeared in the Steelers‘ preseason opener vs. the Houston Texans, though he suffered a knee injury that kept him out through Week 2 of the regular season against the Denver Broncos. He seemed to have beaten out Jones after logging 55 snaps in that contest, but the 25-year-old dislocated his knee cap during practice that following week and went on to miss the remainder of the campaign.
As a result, the 2025 season is his first full go-around in the league and could more or less be viewed as his rookie year, much like Essex stated, given that he only played in one game in 2024.
Fautanu’s Numbers
With Jones having slid over to left tackle after Dan Moore Jr. left for the Tennessee Titans in free agency this past offseason, Fautanu never faced any real competition for the right tackle job during training camp or the preseason.
He’s stayed on the field for the entire year up to this point and emerged as an anchor for Pittsburgh’s offensive line while doing so, allowing just a single sack and 16 pressures thus far, per Pro Football Focus.
Fautanu was particularly dominant against the Chicago Bears in Week 12, as he did not give up a pressure or quarterback takedown over a season-high 72 snaps, according to PFF.
Among the right tackles with the 20 highest snap totals at the position this season, Fautanu is one of six to have ceded no more than a single sack and one of nine to have allowed fewer than 20 pressures.
He’s been everything the Steelers could’ve asked for and then some, and the organization hopes he can continue developing into a true stalwart for them.