Most who go on to play in the NFL likely grew up with a favorite team, but how many like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Troy Fautanu get the opportunity to play for that team? The Steelers seem to land a good number of players who are already fans compared to other franchises. It helps that they have one of the most widespread fan bases in the league, naturally, Fautanu growing up in Nevada.
“I grew up a Steelers fan, so it was like, things like this only happen in the movies, you know what I mean?”, he told Dave “Softy” Mahler and Dick Fain on 950 AM KJR—or “Softy and Dick”. “The perfect scenario when you grow up a big fan and then you get a phone call on one of the biggest days of your life and it’s a team you grew up loving”.
It’s only fair that the Steelers add an offensive lineman who’s a fan after losing one last year. Kevin Dotson had a house full of Black and Gold gear when the Steelers drafted him back in 2020, but they traded him. He’s now an established starter with the Rams, whom I’m sure he’s warmed up to by now. Let’s hope Fautanu keeps his fandom, and a starting job, in Pittsburgh.
“I basically grew up a Pittsburgh Steelers fan my whole life”, he said. “I just fell in love with the organization and how the Pittsburgh Steelers play football. That was a big inspiration on how I play football. Just gritty and nose to the grindstone and grinding games out, being tough. That’s just what I think of when I think of the Steelers, and I took that and placed that in my game”.
The Steelers hope Fautanu can incorporate some of that grit into their own offensive line, which can use the infusion. They hope the same for second-round C Zach Frazier, who was a state wrestling champion in West Virginia. West Virginians tend to grow up Steelers fans, though I’m not sure that was the case with Frazier.
Of course, the Steelers didn’t draft Troy Fautanu as a fan liaison. They drafted him to fill a much-needed hole at tackle—either left or right. We don’t actually know yet where he’ll play because they also have Broderick Jones on hand.
Between the three, paired with veteran guards Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels, the Steelers’ offensive line has changed a lot in a short time. They arguably needed more than just an influx of talent, though. They also needed a rejuvenation of the culture in that room, and Fautanu seems to fit that.
I don’t know that he quickly establishes himself as some kind of leader, but he should see the field quickly. He must beat out Dan Moore Jr. for a job, unless the Steelers decide not to bother with the charade. If the Steelers throw Jones to the left side, they may be effectively handing Fautanu the right-side job.