Steelers Rookie Gennings Dunker Has Crazy Diet

Pittsburgh Steelers third-round rookie Gennings Dunker, as is customary for most offensive linemen, has a crazy diet that he uses to fuel himself for games.

On nights before games at 5:30 p.m., according to Iowa Magazine, Dunker reportedly eats two to three servings of pasta with meat marinara sauce, bread rolls, a 12-ounce steak and two servings.

Then, three hours later at around 8:30 p.m., he consumes three hamburgers and three bags of Baked Lay's chips to go with hot chocolate and hyrdation mixes.

The morning of a contest, Dunker starts the day off at 7:15 a.m. with four servings of toast, two bowls of Wheaties cereal, pancakes, two chicken breasts and water with a hydration mix.

Offensive Lineman Gennings Dunker stands for a photo as Iowa Football hosts media day on Aug. 8, 2025, in Iowa City. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He follows that up at around 9 a.m. with another four pieces of toast and a chicken breast. At 10:15 a.m., Dunker eats a Honey Stinger energy waffle and chews, Maurten gel and has more hydration mix.

Throughout the game, he drinks Powerade and water while going back for more Honey Stinger energy waffles and chews. At halftime, Dunker repeats his 10:15 a.m. snack without hydration mix.

His postgame meal of choice during his time at Iowa was Culver's, where he orders a double bacon cheeseburger with no vegetables, a family-sized order of either cheese curds or onion rings and three sides of ranch.

Dunker's Role in 2026

Though he played strictly right tackle during his last three years at Iowa, Dunker is set to move to guard for the Steelers.

He has some prior experience playing the position, as he logged 125 snaps at right guard in 2022 for the Hawkeyes. Dunker has never played left guard, though, which is most likely landing spot in 2026 given that Mason McCormick is pencilled in as the starter at right guard.

Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman are the other options at left guard for Pittsburgh, and both carry some upside, but Dunker is the most intriguing player amongst that trio.

Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Gennings Dunker (67) warms up before a football game against the Indiana Hoosiers Sept. 27, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The general consensus entering the 2026 NFL Draft was that Dunker's limited athleticism wouldn't play long-term at tackle, and given that the Steelers have Troy Fautanu as well as Max Iheanachor after using their first-round pick on him, there likely wasn't much thought given to having the former line up at the position.

Dunker is a technically-sound and fierce blocker with a ton of strength, and should he win the left guard competition over Anderson and Hoffman, he has the chance to be a plus-starter right off the bat for Pittsburgh.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTubeor anywhere you listen!

Add us as a preferred source on Google