Zach Banner Grateful NFL Journey Lead to Opportunity With Steelers
PITTSBURGH -- Zach Banner is looking to be one of four fourth-year players starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
When the Steelers' first official depth chart comes out on Monday, head coach Mike Tomlin jokingly said there might be a "O-R" between Banner and Chuks Okorafor. But after a month of competing, the Steelers come down to their final week before Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.
A strange offseason, some would say, it was your typical position battle between the two tackles. Both Banner and Okorafor had very limited time to showcase their talents, but it didn't stop either from putting in extra work in the offseason.
Banner came into camp around 335-pounds and put a bet on himself he'd be even smaller than that at the end of the season. The competition has been something he's grateful for as he looks forward to being part of a team's gameplan for the first time in his career.
"I'm a 2017 draft pick that is going into my fourth year. I have been on the road before. I've thought about things like free agency, I've been apart of free agency and things like that," Banner said. "The opportunity to be a starter for the best franchise in the NFL is amazing."
Banner said that he's tried to remain focused on his performance instead of Okorafor's during camp.
"Looking into things like notes, I like to evaluate myself and what I am doing," he said. "That is the most important thing you can do just because—situation, situational football—it's the only way you can educate yourself while still going through a process of evaluation, if that makes sense. The only way you can do that and stay sane at night and get some sleep is if you focus on yourself."
Tomlin has reiterated he's not ready to decide until the last minute. Is it a surprise he's waiting so long?
"No, I'm not surprised about Coach Tomlin because I understand he wants to make a great decision," Banner said. "You're talking about protecting one of the most important people in the city of Pittsburgh. You can't make up for sacks. If you make a mistake on the offensive line, people could get hurt. He's just making an in-depth decision. Whichever decision he makes, like I said, if I lost, I'll feel a little hurt, but then, I need to know what my role is. If I win, it will be exciting, but the minute you go out there and mess up, you're done. The pressure stays on all the time."
But even if Banner walks into Week 1 as the backup, he's just thankful he's fought his way to this point in his career.
"I'm extremely grateful that I am not a bubble roster guy anymore. I am going to be on the 53," Banner said. "I'm not going to be in a hotel waiting for my phone to ring. I'm not saying that is what I'm settling at. I want to be great, I want to play, I do want to be a starter. I am extremely competitive. I can't make that decision; I can only go out and put it on film."
Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
