Fittipaldo Believes Spencer Anderson Will Start Over Mason McCormick For Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have to decide between Spencer Anderson and Mason McCormick who will fill in for LG Isaac Seumalo. The veteran lineman suffered a pectoral strain and could miss two to four games. Their short-term options in the wake of Nate Herbig’s season-ending injury are two players with functionally no experience whatsoever.

Anderson, a 2023 seventh-round pick, has made the 53-man roster two years running, though he didn’t have a role last year as a rookie, dressing as the eighth lineman. The Steelers drafted McCormick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, viewing him as having starter potential.

Both of them had impressive, encouraging offseasons, and they shared first-team work during Seumalo’s scheduled rest days. Anderson got more of that quality work than McCormick, however—part of the reason Ray Fittipaldo leans toward him as the Steelers’ eventual choice.

“Spencer [Anderson] got a ton of first-team reps because they rested Isaac Seumalo so much during camp. He’s familiar with that operation”, he told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan on Thursday. “It seems like they’re gonna go in that direction, but listen, Mason McCormick is a talented guy. They like him as well. I think he’ll be in play, but I would expect Anderson to get the start”.

Gerry Dulac said in his original report that the plan was for Anderson to take the first snaps, but there is no reason to think that McCormick couldn’t win the job. The rookie out of North Dakota State, I feel, is actually the better candidate, as I previously argued.

The Steelers certainly don’t take my advice on personnel matters, though, nor on anything else. And in all honesty, I am excited about getting a look at either Mason McCormick or Spencer Anderson. While I think McCormick could really develop into a long-term starter, I also like Anderson and his work this offseason.

The Steelers are fortunate, one might argue, to have this much insulation given the scenario. Not only is Isaac Seumalo out for a bit, they also lost their primary backup, Nate Herbig, for the season. Anderson and McCormick might technically be the third- and fourth-string guards, but that’s more than most teams can say.

At least, that’s how a lot of people feel about them now, or so it seems. Both Anderson and McCormick still have everything to prove at the NFL level, because they simply haven’t played. McCormick is obviously a rookie, so hasn’t had the chance. At some point last year, Anderson managed to log two offensive snaps, but that’s it.

I should note that Fittipaldo’s comments followed a significant factual error. The radio hosts asked him about another reporter’s incorrect accounting of how the offseason went, arguing that Anderson has the advantage because McCormick had not worked at left guard. That is simply not true—not only did he work at left guard extensively, he is principally a left guard. He logged well over 3,000 snaps specifically at left guard during his college career. In contrast, Anderson split his time at all positions, as he also did last year as a rookie.