Steelers' Brian Angelichio Gives Critical Update On Broderick Jones

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not asking one of their former first-round picks to rediscover everything overnight. After months spent recovering from major neck surgery, Broderick Jones is still bouncing between sides of the formation, rebuilding football strength and trying to make NFL speed feel normal again. Pittsburgh’s response has been fairly simple: keep giving him snaps until the old version starts showing up more often.

Jones’ comeback was never going to be as clean as checking a medical box and immediately returning him to the starting lineup. A neck injury ended his 2025 season, and his recovery from spinal fusion surgery affected much of his offseason preparation. The fact that he avoided the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list when camp opened was encouraging, but being available to practice and being ready to handle starting-tackle work are two very different stages of the process.

Pittsburgh has treated the reps accordingly. The former 14th overall selection has worked behind Troy Fautanu at left tackle while also taking snaps on the right side when opportunities have opened. The initial depth chart placed him second at left tackle, with Dylan Cook atop the right side and first-round rookie Max Iheanachor behind Cook.

That setup has turned Jones into something of a moving renovation project. Pittsburgh knows the athletic foundation is there because it already watched him start 38 games over his first three seasons. The coaching staff is now trying to determine where he can function best while his body and technique catch up to one another.

Offensive Coordinator Brian Angelichio made that patience clear while discussing Jones’ progress. During a recent media availability, Angelichio explained that Pittsburgh plans to keep feeding the tackle work rather than expecting an instant solution.

“Trying to find his groove, working the right side, the left side,” Angelichio said. “So, you know, we're going to continue to push him and give him some reps and see if we can get him to settle in. But I think a lot of that is just getting back and getting out there playing, which is good. It's been good to see him out there, and you can see he's getting more and more comfortable.”

The phrase “settle in” probably describes Jones’ current assignment better than any depth-chart label. Pittsburgh is not only figuring out whether he belongs on the left or right. The big man up front has to restore the muscle memory that disappeared while his neck healed, especially in pass protection where small flaws become extremely public once an edge rusher finds them.

His workload has reflected that developmental approach. Jones played 49 offensive snaps against the Green Bay Packers in the preseason opener, more than any other Steelers player on either side of the ball. He then returned for significant work against the New York Jets, where the results were considerably rougher and his pass protection again became a concern.

Pittsburgh’s latest look at his struggles highlighted the same hand-placement issues that have followed Jones throughout his career. When his punch arrives late or fails to control the rusher’s frame, his athleticism has to rescue the rep. That is a difficult way to live against NFL edge defenders, particularly for someone still rebuilding strength after surgery.

The encouraging part is that the Steelers are giving him enough live work to actually correct those problems. Offensive-line technique cannot be restored entirely through individual drills. Jones needs to feel a defender convert speed into power, counter inside when he oversets and attack his hands when they drift too wide. There is no rehabilitation machine that simulates a 260-pound pass rusher trying to fold the pocket around the quarterback.

Working both tackle spots adds another degree of difficulty, but it may also become Jones’ best route to value. Fautanu appears established on the left, while Cook and Iheanachor remain involved in the right-tackle picture. If Jones can become comfortable enough on either side to function as a legitimate swing tackle, Pittsburgh gains useful flexibility even if he never reclaims a permanent starting job.

That would still represent a meaningful recovery considering where his offseason began. Jones is under contract only through 2026 after Pittsburgh declined the fifth-year option attached to his rookie deal, so this season carries consequences beyond where he sits on the current depth chart.

He is essentially rebuilding his game while auditioning for what comes next. Subtle pressure, that.

Steelers Can't Be Patient For Much Longer With Broderick Jones

Angelichio’s comments sound supportive without pretending Jones is finished with the process. The coaching staff likes seeing him become more comfortable and intends to keep pushing him, but nobody suggested the former first-rounder has already forced his way back into the starting five.

That distinction leaves the preseason finale important. Jones needs clean pass-protection reps, better hand usage and enough consistency to convince Pittsburgh that whichever side he occupies will not immediately become the offense’s soft spot. Versatility only helps when the blocking travels with it.

His recovery also gives the Steelers a reason to resist judging every mistake as if nothing happened between last season and this one. Spinal fusion surgery is not a minor detour for an offensive tackle whose job involves absorbing violent contact dozens of times per afternoon. Some rust was inevitable.

The clock still moves quickly in the NFL, and patience gets more expensive once September begins. Pittsburgh can keep giving Jones runway now because exhibition snaps are built for exactly this kind of work.

Angelichio sees a player getting more comfortable every time he gets back on the field. Jones does not need to become the 2023 first-round pick again overnight. He just needs enough good reps to make the Steelers believe that player is still somewhere in there.