Steelers New Starter Almost Never Joined The Team

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a bunch of different players step up in surprising ways throughout the season.

From offense to defense, the Steelers have had players pop up across the spectrum and be contributors, even going as far as winning games for the team. Some, such as defensive back James Pierre, have been top contributors, while others have filled necessary gaps where needed.

One such player is Dylan Cook, who has stepped up and been a consistent swing tackle for the team in recent weeks.

Cook was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and spent part of the 2022 season on their practice squad before getting released. He was signed ahead of the 2023 season with the Steelers. He recently appeared on Arthur Moats' The Arthur Moats Experience podcast to speak on what it was like to be signed by the team.

Cook Reflects on Signing

"Kind of just stayed consistent," Cook said. "They had two offensive line draft picks that year in Spencer Anderson and Broderick Jones. Kind of knew I was fighting an uphill battle, but consistency is key. That's what they told me when they ended up signing me was, I just showed up every single day and was the same player every single day."

Cook believed it was unlikely he would make it out of camp, but he stuck with it and was able to prove himself at the NFL level. He not only made it out of camp and onto the roster, but would begin to contribute for the team at a high level after sticking on the roster until 2025.

"Absolutely. I figured, when they signed me, I was a camp body anyway. So, the only way was up."

Cook's Time With The Steelers

He appeared in zero games for the team in 2023, then was re-signed ahead of the 2024 season. He signed a reserve/futures contract in January of 2025, and would eventually make his NFL debut on December 7 against the Ravens. He came in for an injured Andrus Peat, then would appear as the starting left tackle in Peat's absence in his first career start when the Steelers took on the Dolphins on Monday Night Football.