On Saturday, offensive tackle Zach Banner shared the video below on his social media. It was his way of saying goodbye to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the fans as he moves on in an effort to make his dream of being a starting offensive tackle in the NFL a reality.
2021 was supposed to be Banner’s year. The then-Steelers offensive tackle was coming back from a serious knee injury but had the confidence of the coaches and was ready to assume his rightful spot in the starting lineup.
But this didn’t happen. Setbacks with his recovery put him well behind schedule and by the time he was healthy, there wasn’t a spot for him. This prompted the team to terminate his contract at the start of free agency.
I honestly thought Banner could be a guy the Steelers could bring back at a lower cap number to bolster. depth. However, it sounds like Banner wants to compete for a starting spot and that won’t be in Pittsburgh.
Banner is almost completely untested as a starting offensive tackle so I won’t speculate on how he will do but there’s no denying he was one of the best people to put on a Steelers uniform in just three seasons. Genuine and kind, Banner embraced what being a Steeler and part of the community is all about and we wish him the best of luck.
Love Yinz pic.twitter.com/y4NZb7NUtb
— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) April 2, 2022
