Steelers RG Mason McCormick talks, plays like a veteran belying his 2nd-year NFL status

When told that teammate Broderick Jones had referred to him as “a very communicative person,” Mason McCormick allowed a quick smile.

“You know,” the Pittsburgh Steelers second-year guard said, “I’d rather be safe than sorry. That’s just the way I always have been, and I think it helps.”

McCormick’s play did the talking as a rookie last season, when as a fourth-round pick from an FCS program he started the final 14 games of the regular season. McCormick performed well enough that the Steelers are comfortable with him as their starting right guard again in 2025.

No longer a mid-round rookie from South Dakota State, McCormick’s arrow is pointing up in Year 2.

“I don’t know what’s more valuable than experience,” Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer said when asked about the 6-foot-5, 315-pound McCormick. “Game experience. Game experience is just. … a different deal.”

McCormick is one of three rookies who started at least one game on the offensive line last season, and all three — McCormick, Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier — are locked in to start in 2025.

Meyer believes they’ll all be better off with a year in the NFL under their belts, and none of the sophomores played in more games last year than McCormick.

“You can say you’re practicing hard, and you’re going against (All-Pro defensive lineman Cameron Heyward) and that’s great,” Meyer said of practice reps, “but when you’re in the game and then you’ve got the crowd, you’ve got the huddle, it’s just, your life’s on the line. It’s invaluable, the reps that those young guys got. Their growth just quickly went through the roof.”

A four-year college starter and two-time FCS national champion, McCormick proved a natural during last summer’s workouts and training camp. He opened the season as the second backup at guard.

But by Week 3, he had surpassed Spencer Anderson on the depth chart and started in place of injured left guard Isaac Seumalo. Seumalo’s return happened to coincide with the loss of right guard James Daniels for the season because of an Achilles injury. McCormick stepped in to replace Daniels and never looked back, playing every snap the rest of the way until he suffered a broken hand during the regular-season finale.

Like Meyer said, nothing can replace that game experience.

“You know, last year as a rookie, there’s kind of a lot of thinking,” McCormick said earlier this month, “Just, ‘How do I hit this block? How do I do this?’

“I just want all that stuff to become second nature so I can really fine-tune the little details, which I feel like it has been. I feel like I haven’t really forgotten anything from last year through the offseason, and so I’ve really hit the ground running and I feel like we’re ready to take that next step.”

Steelers starting RG Mason McCormick on building on his rookie year and playing next to fellow “sophomore” RT Troy Fautanu pic.twitter.com/5ZXHqumYUe

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) June 4, 2025

It’s not a stretch to suggest the development of the group of McCormick, Frazier, Fautanu and Jones (who’s entering his third season) is crucial to the short- and long-term success of the Steelers offense.

The Steelers have invested significantly in building that unit. McCormick, a fourth-round guard making less than $1 million in salary this season, is by far the lowest-profile of the Steelers’ young linemen. Jones and Fautanu were first-round tackles and Frazier a center taken in Round 2.

McCormick, though, has the look of a player who perhaps could develop into the soul of the Steelers’ long-range offensive line. Think, Ramon Foster.

Already 25 years old and with the aforementioned strong communication skills on the field, McCormick has a veteran-like presence in the locker room that belies his scant pro tenure. He could evolve into something of the line’s unofficial spokesperson.

He sees the unit as capable of taking its game to a new level this season.

“For sure,” McCormick said. “We’ve been developing, and it’s definitely time for us to step up. And I think we’re excited, we’re ready and we’re just going to keep attacking every day — and the results will keep getting better.”