Although Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was disappointed with his team’s performance on Saturday night, he still took the time to praise Zach Frazier. When asked how the rookie center looked in his first NFL appearance, Tomlin said he was “largely pleased” with what he saw from Frazier.
Frazier was allowed to start because Nate Herbig is dealing with an injury that is expected to keep him out of action for an extended period, likely into the regular season. Tomlin said he would provide further updates on Herbig’s status in the coming days.
While Tomlin stressed that he would elaborate after viewing the footage, he wasn’t the only one to compliment Frazier after Pittsburgh’s 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the preseason.
In addition to Tomlin, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, who completed 8 of 10 passes for 47 yards in his Steelers debut, offered a more direct perspective on what it was like working with Frazier and what he expects from him as a teammate.
“He’s tough. I think he works very hard, and that’s something you rarely find as a rookie. Guys that are that professional and that have that much focus,” Wilson told reporters after the game.
“He’s an elite concentration player. And he did a great job tonight. He made a lot of great decisions tonight and just communicated well with me. With Big Nate (Herbig) out, obviously he’s got to step up a notch.”
Wilson even went so far as to give Frazier advice for the future.
“And I think the best thing he can do is continue to learn every day, knowing there’s going to be ups and downs,” Wilson said. “There’s going to be bumps in the road. He went up against a really good front tonight — they do a good job. And I thought he handled it well. I thought he was composed. He didn’t flinch.”
Everything Frazier has said and done since arriving in Pittsburgh is a testament to a young player willing to do whatever it takes to be great.
“I think it’s my job to take care of myself first and make sure everything is OK before I start leading others,” Frazier said in May.
And with everything pointing to Frazier staying at the top of the order for a while, the Steelers’ second-round draft pick needs to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. Fortunately for Frazier, Herbig’s absence means he’s guaranteed full first-team time in practices and games.
It remains to be seen how PFF grades Frazier for his second NFL appearance, but last week it was reported that Frazier allowed no pressure in 19 pass-blocking snaps and earned an overall grade of 72.2 as a run blocker in his first NFL appearance against the Houston Texans.
Next up for Frazier and the Steelers is a final preseason test in Detroit on August 24. Kickoff between Pittsburgh and the Lions is set for 1 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast nationally on the NFL Network and locally on KDKA-TV.
