​The competitive momentum at right tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers has taken a clear turn. First-round rookie offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, who had been mounting a strong push for the starting role during training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, now faces an uphill battle to earn a starting spot for the season opener.After suffering an upper-body injury early in camp, Iheanachor’s extended absence has potentially severely disrupted his developmental timeline. The former Arizona State star brought elite athletic traits and steady progress to the position battle, but time away from live team reps could stall his momentum.Beat reporter Nick Farabaugh detailed the impact of the rookie’s missed time on X.”Iheanachor was making some pretty prudent progress and gaining momentum in the RT competition before his injury. But he’s now missed nearly two weeks of practice and will likely miss two preseason games. Hard to expect him to start Week 1 over Dylan Cook at this point,” shared Farabaugh in a post on social media.Iheanachor was making some pretty prudent progress and gaining momentum in the RT competition before his injury. But he’s now missed nearly two weeks of practice and will likely miss two preseason games. Hard to expect him to start Week 1 over Dylan Cook at this point. https://t.co/RRifTmTUnC— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) August 17, 2026The layoff leaves third-year tackle Dylan Cook in firm control of the starting job heading into the regular season. Cook, who stepped up admirably during the late stretch of the 2025 campaign, has taken full advantage of the first-team snaps in Latrobe.While transition periods under a new coaching staff usually offer open competition, missing consecutive weeks of practice and crucial exhibition snaps makes it difficult for any rookie to command a starting job on opening day.Although Iheanachor’s high ceiling remains an essential asset for Pittsburgh’s offensive line future, the priority now shifts toward recovery and long-term integration rather than a Week 1 starting assignment.This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Injury setback threatens Steelers rookie’s shot at starting job