PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A Steelers Hall of Famer says the team should go offensive line with their first pick in the NFL Draft.
OK, he might be a little biased, but guard Alan Faneca says offensive line is the most important position in the NFL. Even if you might only know their name when they commit a penalty.
“We don’t do our job, no one else can do their job,” Faneca told ‘The Cook and Joe Show’ on 93.7 The Fan Tuesday. “Whether it’s throwing the ball, running the ball or catching the ball. If we don’t do it, no one else has a chance to shine. If we don’t do it the defense is left on the field a lot longer.”
“In my opinion the offensive line is where everything starts for the whole team. It’s just how it is.”
Faneca was a Steelers first round pick in 1998 and is the first Steelers first round pick offensive lineman to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He joins a pair of centers in Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson in the Hall, that anchored the Steelers offensive line from 1974-2000. In the future, he could be joined by Maurkice Pouncey. A 2010 first round pick, who just retired.
There may be others over that time that made others Hall of Famers, but never got the credit playing on the offensive line.
“Nothing else can happen,” Faneca stated, “Especially the way we were built in Pittsburgh where we were trying to eat up the clock. Those guys on defense or on the sidelines were hollering and cheering us on just as much. They love to see us grind it out and take it down the field in nine minutes and eat up all of the clock.”
Seems like a long time since the Steelers have done that, Faneca says build up front.
NFL Draft coverage all-day on Thursday on 93.7 The Fan including the live announcement of the pick.