We've waited seven months to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field for a game since their disastrous playoff showing against the Houston Texans. Unfortunately, we're going to have to wait a bit longer to watch the team's first-round pick in action.
Offensive tackle Max Iheanachor is dealing with a neck/shoulder injury suffered during Steelers training camp practice on August 6. This injury caused him to miss the team's Saturday Night Lights practice at Latrobe Memorial Stadium, as well as a pair of practices that followed in the lead-up to Pittsburgh's first preseason game.
Sadly, head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that Iheanachor will not be able to go against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night, per Chris Adamski of TribLIVE.
"Yeah, I think what he accomplished yesterday tells you where he is. You know, we used the individual drills to see what he can do. He's just working his way back. It's just like any return from injury. There's a strength component that we are trying to get over, and there are some things we want to see him do with his pads and a helmet on.
He's making progress. I do not see him playing Thursday night, but he's getting close."
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie OT Max Iheanachor will miss the team's first preseason game vs. the Green Bay Packers
This is never the direction teams want their first-round draft choice to take. Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game. Iheanachor is relatively new to the sport, as the Nigerian-born rookie only started playing American football in 2021 at the junior college level.
Because of his rapid growth at the position and the steep jump in the level of competition, Steelers fans would have loved to see Iheanachor play as much as possible in the preseason. Now he's already at a disadvantage.
Though McCarthy may have put Iheanachor on a snap count anyway, the big offensive tackles will now have just two possible exhibition games to see the field before the regular season begins in September. This means just two more chances to showcase his talent against opponents in an effort to beat out Dylan Cook for the starting right tackle job.
Iheanachor was having a strong rookie training camp. And considering the amount of draft capital spent to acquire him in the 2026 NFL Draft, it's only a matter of time before he takes over the starting role.
However, anytime a rookie misses preseason action—regardless of their draft status—it's always a setback.
When the Steelers' 90-man roster takes the home field on Thursday night against the Packers, Pittsburgh's top draft choice will be watching from the sidelines. Iheanachor will now aim to get healthy and try to return to the practice field on August 15—the team's first practice after their preseason game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' second preseason game will be played against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium on Friday, August 21, and we're all hoping the raw offensive tackle will be able to take the field by then.
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