The Pittsburgh Steelers reached desperation mode on the offensive line in Week 15. With Broderick Jones and Calvin Anderson on IR, and with Andrus Peat in concussion protocol, Mike Tomlin was forced to turn to his fourth option to man the left tackle position for Monday Night Football. This was a brilliant choice he lucked into.
In his first NFL start and only his second-ever NFL appearance, Dylan Cook delivered a phenomenal showing on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins, earning praise from Coach Tomlin. Cook helped quarterback Aaron Rodgers stay protected as he stonewalled pass rushers and kept the pocket clean.
His performance was even more convincing after watching the all-22 tape. Cook never lost a rep in pass protection against Bradley Chubb. Because of his dominance, he was awarded an 89.9 pass block grade (78.4 overall grade) from Pro Football Focus.
This wasn't only the highest grade earned among Steelers offensive linemen in Week 15; it was the top offensive grade earned on the team.
Cook first impressed when filling in for the injured Peat in Week 14 against the Baltimore Ravens. Now he's stacked impressive performances with an outstanding showing in his first NFL start.
The Pittsburgh Steelers may have found a diamond in the rough with Dylan Cook
Before Broderick Jones' neck injury, the plan at left tackle seemed to be to ride it out with the 2023 first-round pick for the rest of the season, then determine whether it's worth picking up the fifth-year option. Jones flashed promise in 2025, but in his third NFL season, he struggled with the same technique and mechanical issues that plagued him over his first two seasons.
But Cooks' performance could be a game-changer.
As the Steelers figure out their long-term plan on the offensive line, Cooks is already giving Tomlin and the coaching staff reason to consider him for a role.
Coming out of Montana in 2022, Cook was considered by NFL Draft Scout as somewhere between a high-priority free agent and a tryout player. This is the career path Cook would take. A former quarterback walk-on in 2018, Cook moved to the offensive line, where he would eventually stick. Years later, he was finally given a chance to stick with the Steelers' roster.
Cook is 27 years old and will turn 28 in January, so he's off to a late start. Fortuantely, he doesn't have much wear-and-tear on his body, and offensive linemen can play for a long time in this league.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should continue to roll with the hot hand and allow Cook to start. When he's playing as well as he has, why send him back to the bench? It's entirely possible that he could plummet back down to earth in the coming weeks if he remains in the starting lineup. If this proves to be the case, Tomlin could go back to Jones (if he's healthy enough to play and returns from IR).
But in the off chance that Cook's impressive play continues, perhaps he could be the player the Steelers have been searching for. Maybe their left tackle of the future is already hiding in plain sight.