The Pittsburgh Steelers made a right tackle switch in Week Nine against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football, starting rookie first-round choice Broderick Jones and benching veteran Chukwuma Okorafor.
After the game, head coach Mike Tomlin remarked that the Steelers needed a spark, which is why he made a change. But, according to video obtained by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski, Okorafor stated after the game that he was benched by the Steelers due to what he said on the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
The Post-Gazette of Pittsburgh Following up on Adams’ tweet, Steelers beat reporter Brian Batko said that Okorafor stated he “acted out” on the field late in the game in a way that a veteran in his sixth season should not.
What Okorafor said on the field last Sunday in the Steelers’ 20-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars is unclear, but it doesn’t sound like it was a performance-based change or something the Steelers made in search of a spark.
Okorafor has had a difficult 2023 season, surrendering 11 pressures and two sacks, including one sack against the Jaguars on the Black and Gold’s second snap of the game.
Okorafor had a Pro Football Focus rating of 60.8 overall through the first seven games of the season, including a 60.4 in pass protection and a 61.3 as a run blocker. He had also been called for seven penalties this season, four of which were accepted.
Jones played effectively in his first start at right tackle, assisting the Steelers to 155 yards and a touchdown on 5.5 yards per carry in a 20-16 come-from-behind victory at Acrisure Stadium.
We’ll see if Okorafor’s benching on such a short week was just a one-week affair to send a message to the veteran, or if the Steelers have made the switch permanently. Jones, on the other hand, delivered the spark Tomlin mentioned the Steelers were hoping for, which should be an indication that he’s the guy moving forward at right tackle.
