Mike Tomlin Names Steelers New Starting OT

After a strong performance in his first career start against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has officially announced that Dylan Cook will remain in the lineup alongside the rest of the first-stringers at left tackle for the team's Week 16 contest vs. the Detroit Lions.

Tomlin did hesitate, however, to anoint Cook as the starter for the rest of the campaign, even if he has impressed over a small sample size while Pittsburgh has dealt with a slew of injuries at the position.

Not so fast," Tomlin said, per Steelers.com's Bob Labriola. "I don't know if I'm ready to anoint anybody for the rest of the season. That's just the urgency in which we're living right now. It's week-in and week-out. And certainly he did enough, and I'm thankful for his contributions in the construction of victory on Monday night. He'll start and play this weekend, and we'll see where it leads us."

Sep 26, 2025; Maynooth, Ireland; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dylan Cook (60) during practice at Carton House. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cook's First Impression

Cook originally joined the Steelers off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023 and was on their practice squad for parts of the last two seasons. He never appeared in a regular season contest during that span, though, but he did not allow a single sack across 82 snaps at left tackle during this past preseason.

The 27-year-old had a chance to make Pittsburgh's initial 53-man roster as a swing tackle in late August, but Andrus Peat and Calvin Anderson both earned spots over him.

After Peat suffered a concussion in the team's Week 14 game against the Baltimore Ravens, Cook made his debut and did not allow a single pressure, per Pro Football Focus, over 13 snaps at left tackle.

He was subsequently signed to the 53-man roster ahead of Pittsburgh's bout with Miami after Anderson was placed on the reserve/injured list with a knee injury.

Cook shut out the Dolphins as well, ceding zero pressures or sacks across 66 total snaps at left tackle as the Steelers cruised to a 28-15 victory.

Will Cook Start for the Rest of the Season?

Peat is off the injury report and isn't carrying an injury designation into this week's game, but that wasn't enough for the Steelers to move away from Cook given how well he's played thus far.

With Broderick Jones out for the year due to a neck injury while Anderson isn't eligible to be activated until the postseason begins should Pittsburgh eventually clinch its spot, it certainly appears as though the left tackle spot is Cook's to lose for the foreseeable future.

That's not to say something can't change that could lead Peat to be slotted back into the lineup, but there's no reason for the Steelers to take Cook off the field at the moment.

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