Steelers mid-season awards: Rookie of the Year
(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesThis marks our final mid-season award for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Thus far, we have crowned Jaylen Warren as the team's mid-season MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, while T.J. Watt was crowned as the Defensive Player of the Year. Our final award will be Rookie of the Year, taking both sides of the ball into consideration rather than splitting it into two separate awards. With that said, here is how our staff voted.
Joey Bray - OT Max Iheanachor: Ever since Max Iheanachor made his first start in Week 3, the Steelers' offensive line has shown massive improvement. The first-round pick has beaten the project" allegations with exceptional play from his first start in the league. Iheanachor is going to be a huge piece of the Steelers offensive line for years to come.
Austin Bechtold - WR Germie Bernard & S Robert Spears-Jennings: I couldn't pick just one so decided to pick one on each side of the ball. Bernard has impressed and earned Aaron Rodgers' trust, something close to impossible for rookie wide receivers to do. In eight games, Bernard owns 32 catches for 284 yards and one touchdown. He's basically played six games after only a handful of snaps against Atlanta and only one catch against Cincinnati. Bernard has a more diverse route tree than DK Metcalf and I think is a better all-around receiver. The Steelers found a gem in the second round and no one is going to miss out on Makai Lemon.
Robert Spears-Jennings has a serious case to win this award outright. The Steelers continue to rave about his ability and keep playing the defensive back after DeShon Elliott returned. He's registered 20 tackles and his first career interception against Cleveland. Spears-Jennings is PFF's fifth-highest-graded rookie (78.7) and the highest-graded rookie tackler (82.7) in football. The former seventh-round pick looks like a starter for years to come. Spears-Jennings has helped solidify a veteran, but very vulnerable secondary.
Ryan Parish - OT Max Iheanachor: Another race with several valid options. Seventh-rounder Robert Spears-Jennings has a case, as does Germie Bernard and Daylen Everette. But as one of the lone voices that was celebrating getting Iheanachor over Makai Lemon on draft weekend, I'm thrilled that he's playing so well. The Steelers' offense was unquestionably and definitively improved beginning the week Iheanachor took over as starter and the line as a whole is now a strength of the team. That locks up the award in my book.
Ryland Bickley - OT Max Iheanachor: This was the easiest choice for me. The Steelers' offensive success this season can be traced back to the moment Iheanachor and Brock Hoffman were inserted into the right side of the offensive line. Has Iheanachor been perfect? Far from it, but I'm not sure where the Steelers offense would be right now without the rookie tackle.
Mike Nicastro - OT Max Iheanachor: While Germie Bernard and Daylen Everette will certainly receive consideration, my vote goes to rookie offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. After a 1-1 start, head coach Mike McCarthy made the decision to insert the rookie into the lineup. Since then, Pittsburgh has responded by winning five of their next six games and improving to 6-2. That's not to suggest Iheanachor is solely responsible for the turnaround, but his presence has helped stabilize an offensive line that needed a spark. His physical tools, ability to hold up at the point of attack and continued development have made him an important addition to the starting lineup. Bernard and Everette deserve recognition for their contributions, but Iheanachor gets the nod because of the impact he's made at a position where rookie adjustments can be particularly difficult.
Jason Aponte - WR Germie Bernard: After logging just three snaps in Week 1, Bernard has run away with this award. Given the injuries to Michael Pittman, Jr and Roman Wilson, Bernard has gained the trust of Aaron Rodgers, and the duo evokes memories of Rodgers and Randall Cobb. The arrow is up for the rookie receiver, and regardless of the health of returning players should be involved all the way down the stretch.
Jarrett Bailey - S Robert Spears-Jennings: The safety position has been a very thin one for the Steelers, but seventh-round pick Robert Spears-Jennings has been terrific this season. Of all safeties to play at least 100 snaps, he is 13th in lowest completion percentage allowed as the nearest defender, and his yards per coverage snap and yards per target are both in the top 20, as well. He has proven to be tremendous value after being selected in the final round of the draft, and someone who could end up being a growing piece of the defense, not just in 2026, but for seasons to come.
Consensus Rookie of the Year: OT Max Iheanachor
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