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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is sacked in the fourth quarter, Sunday, September 7, 2025, in East Rutherford. Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Struggling Steelers offensive line just got bad news ahead of Week 2

Originally posted on Steeler Nation | By Parker Abate | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 8:16 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers performed well in a Week 1 win against the New York Jets. That does not mean that the team was perfect, however.

The main concerning takeaways were in regards to the trenches. Both the offensive and defensive lines proved to be unreliable, and it's a miracle that a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers was able to find success while being under pressure so often. It will certainly be an emphasis during the organization's preparation for a Week 2 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks, which will take place at Acrisure Stadium.

It was no secret entering the 2025 campaign that offensive line coach Pat Meyer may have a lot of pressure on himself. The hot seat is a phrase that comes to mind, as his group hasn't exceeded expectations for pretty much his entire tenure in the Steel City. He could be looking for a new job come the offseason if his unit doesn't turn it around quickly.

It's not going to get easier for the big men up front with the Seahawks coming to town. The officiating crews for the Week 2 games were announced on Tuesday, and Pittsburgh definitely got some unsettling news when Scott Novak and his crew were assigned to travel to the Steel City. This could provide a unique challenge to Meyer's group of guys leading the way on offense.

Referee for Seahawks at Steelers — Scott Novak
https://t.co/gWZXZCZeFV #SEAvsPIT pic.twitter.com/5nK8P2YrkU
—  Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ Zᴇʙʀᴀs (@footballzebras) September 9, 2025

There isn't a lot of data to go off of because the 2025 regular season just started, but Novak's group had a very easy trend to follow back in 2024. The offensive line is a focal point and a main target for throwing yellow flags. A season ago, Novak's crew called 41 false starts and 40 offensive holding penalties. The last thing a struggling Steelers offensive line needs is a penalty-happy officiating crew.

During Pittsburgh's 2024 contest against the New York Giants, Novak was on the call and Mason McCormick was flagged for holding once. Despite it being in the Steel City, there were also two false starts charged to the Steelers. Additionally, Broderick Jones was also called for a facemask infraction.

It helps that the Steelers will be playing in front of a favorable crowd that is likely to be completely jacked up for the team's first home game of the season. Those emotions will cause a rush of adrenaline for the players, but it's pivotal to stay grounded. It's clear that Novak's officiating crew is going to hone in on the offensive line, which is why getting handsy early on with defensive lineman could lead to some costly penalties.

Novak and co. were on the call for the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints' Week 1 battle. There were seven offensive holding penalties called, as well as four false starts. This would insinuate that this particular referee crew is holding onto the same values that it did in the 2024 season. Pittsburgh's offensive line will have to be on its best behavior.

Steelers have recently broken tradition about not firing coaches midseason

In 2023, Pittsburgh relieved offensive coordinator Matt Canada of his duties in the middle of the year. That is very rare for the organization, but it proved that not all things are the same in the Steel City. If Meyer's group continues to play down to the competition, repercussions could first come to some of the linemen, but Meyer could also find himself walking into his office with an empty box to put his things in.

This article first appeared on SteelerNation.com and was syndicated with permission.

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