Tag: Zach Banner

Zach Banner says he owes Colts GM Chris Ballard for cutting him

Zach Banner was a fourth-round pick with the Colts in 2017.

The Pittsburgh Steelers named Zach Banner their starting right tackle, but the road wasn’t always easy for the former fourth-round pick who was originally selected by the Indianapolis Colts.

A part of Chris Ballard’s first draft class as general manager in 2017, Banner was taken with one of three fourth-round picks that year. The USC product struggled in training camp his first season and was waived when the team had to make roster cuts just before the start of the regular season.

>>>MORE: Colts vs. Jags: Who has the edge?<<<

After a stint with the Cleveland Browns (2017) and Carolina Panthers (2018), Banner signed with the Steelers just before the start of the 2018 season. He eventually worked his way up the depth chart and is now the starting right tackle.

Getting cut despite being a fourth-round pick was a wake-up call for Banner, and he told reporters Thursday that he owes Ballard for the “harsh reality.”

The Colts cut Banner before his rookie season even began and a year later found Braden Smith to be their right tackle.

The 2017 class wasn’t a strong one for Ballard, and that includes Banner. But he’s found his footing and will be a big part of one of the best offensive lines in the league in Pittsburgh.

Steelers officially name Zach Banner starting right tackle for Week 1

After an intense training camp battle that came down to the wire, the Steelers named Zach Banner starter.

Zach Banner will no longer just be an “eligible receiver.” On Wednesday, Tomlin officially named Banner the Week 1 starter at right tackle with six days left to kick off on Monday. The 6’8 offensive tackle appeared in 14 games last season with one start.

Right tackle was one of the few true position battles Pittsburgh had to assess in training camp, and their ultimate decision came down to the wire.

Banner is elated to have earned a solidified spot on the roster. “I’m extremely grateful that I am not a bubble roster guy anymore. I am going to be on the 53,” Banner told the media last week. “I’m not going to be in a hotel waiting for my phone to ring. I’m not saying that is what I’m settling at. I want to be great. I want to play; I do want to be a starter. I am extremely competitive. I can’t make that decision; I can only go out and put it on film.”

That competitiveness will be truly tested Week 1 and beyond, as head coach Mike Tomlin alluded that the starter could change weekly based on the matchup at hand. Nothing like the challenge of needing to prove your worth weekly to bring out the best in a player.

The Steelers have a long season ahead of them, and player personnel adjustments will be made, likely more this season than any other. Especially without preseason games, the first few games are going to reveal a lot about who can hold their own when the going gets tough.

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Mike Tomlin remains non-committal on starting RT position

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin appears to have not yet revealed the decision on who will be starting at right tackle Week 1 versus Giants.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin held his first press conference of the 2020 regular season on Monday.

Among the many topics Tomlin addressed was the starting right tackle position. It appears the decision between Zach Banner and Chukwuma Okorafor will come right down to the wire.

“I’m comfortable with the right tackle prospects,” Tomlin told the media on Monday. “I feel like we have two guys who are starter-capable, and we’ll sort through that this week.”

What’s more interesting is that Tomlin said the choice will be who gives them the best chance this week. Whoever is eventually named the Week 1 starter at right tackle will be expected to step up, or step back.

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Steelers OL coach Shaun Sarrett talks right tackle position battle going down to the wire

Steelers offensive line coach is in no rush to name a starter at right tackle.

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The one position on offense still up in the air for the Pittsburgh Steelers is right tackle. With Matt Feiler moving inside to replace Ramon Foster at left guard, it leaves a rather significant hole on the right side of the offensive line.

This means there is a competition brewing between Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner for the final starting spot. According to offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett, he is in no hurry to pick a winner and says this battle could go all the way up to the start of the regular season.

A situation like this is complicated by the fact there will be no preseason games to evaluate these guys against opposing defenses. Going back to game film, Banner probably has the edge and he is the player we are rooting for. But no one should be shocked if Okorafor’s athleticism ends up putting him over the top.

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Zach Banner’s mind is blow with first challah experience

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner shared, on social media, his experience tasting challah for the first time.

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner reported as an eligible receiver of challah.

As part of an effort to educate himself on Judaism and the Jewish community, Banner shared, on social media, his experience tasting challah for the first time.

Banner noted in the video that, for one day, the Challah Back Girls were donating half of their sales to Banner’s B3 Foundation. The foundation works to support kids, both academically and athletically.

Since the tackle condemned antisemitism and defended the Jewish community following Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson’s remarks on social media, the Jewish community had donated more than $60,000 in increments of $18 to the B3 Foundation.

Banner said in a recent interview that “millions of people” from Israel to New York and up the street in Pittsburgh have invited him to Shabbat dinners. Banner has also received an outpouring of challah. He may not have known how to correctly pronounce “challah” before, but he does now.

This is a perfect example of an athlete using his platform to educate and inspire others. Well done, Zach.

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Trojans in the NFL: Zach Banner uses Twitter to fight anti-semitism

Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Zach Banner spoke out against Desean Jackson’s anti-semitic remarks on his Twitter account Wednesday evening.

USC Trojans alumni Zach Banner, now a tackle with the Pittsburgh Steelers, took to Twitter on Wednesday to speak out against Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson’s anti-semitic comments made earlier in the week.

“We shouldn’t be blind to other groups’ history, traditions and other stuff they have gone through, some of the things that have set them back,” said Banner, who emphasized the importance of education. “If you don’t know what the Holocaust is, you’re really just failing yourself.”

Banner was one of the first players to publicly speak out against Jackson’s comments, which helped make the video was a massive hit, garnering over 700,000 views.

“I just needed to be able to post something,” Banner told USC officials. “I could never imagine it was going to get this much attention….To be able to uplift anybody, and be able to make someone’s day, one individual is okay to me, but when that love is appreciated worldwide, it’s almost too much, because I am just so proud of not only myself but when I do something like that, but I’m representing my friends.”

Banner has done more than just post videos, however, as his B3 Foundation received a ton of financial support following his message – garnering over $50,000 in donations since Wednesday. The B3 Foundation supports youth in Tacoma, Los Angeles and Guam.

Banner, who earned a degree in sociology from USC before getting selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft, is continuing to interact with folks about social issues on his Twitter account.

“I’m ready for that challenge,” Banner continued. “To be able to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community as I am also trying to uplift my own through the Black Lives Matter, and the Black and brown people.”

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Steelers OT Zach Banner speaks out on Desean Jackson’s comments

We applaud Zach Banner for speaking out against hate.

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This is not intended to be any sort of political commentary. I don’t do that here. But in the wake of Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Desean Jackson’s Anti-Semitic social media post and subsequent hollow apology, we felt it only right to give credit where it is due.

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner is the only NFL player we could find who came out and made a public statement denouncing what Jackson did. In fact, some have come out and defended what Jackson said, letting him have a pass as just being woefully ignorant.

“We talk about elevating ourselves,” Banner said. ” We can’t do that while stepping on the back of other people.”

There are plenty of obvious reasons why NFL players won’t call out Jackson while not hesitating to do it to Drew Brees but none of them are noble. I applaud the bravery of Banner to say the things that need to be said.

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Steelers OL Zach Banner attends protest w/o a mask and ends up getting shamed for it on Twitter

Zach Banner gets shamed on social media for not wearing a mask to a protest.

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Things can take a weird turn on Twitter in a hurry. On Friday there was a protest scheduled for Antwon Rose in Pittsburgh and one of the high-profile attendees was Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Zach Banner. Banner opted not to wear a mask at the protest citing his platform needing to be used to inspire.

This did not go over at all well in the Twitter community as the vast majority of fans appreciated Banner being at the protest but did not appreciate him opting to not wear a mask. Many reminded him wearing that mask is as much about him keeping others safe as it is putting himself at risk.

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Then the whole debate went another direction after this tweet.

Some even went so far as to fat shame Banner and then discredit his playing abilities as part of the debate. Steelers fans can be ruthless at times. I do agree Banner should have had his mask on and not wearing it set a bad example. But as with most things on the internet, people tool their vitriol way too far.

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Steelers OT Zach Banner offers strong suggestion for the NFL

Zach Banner has an interesting idea for the upcoming season.

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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner is an outspoken member of the NFL on social media. He’s a positive force on social media and genuinely one of the nicest guys in the league. On Monday, Banner offered up a rather interesting idea of keeping the momentum of the recent protests going.

Banner has suggested the NFL put stickers on their helmets with the hashtag #BLM. This would be a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The NFL has already reportedly indicated they will allow players to peacefully protest during the national anthem this season and so it would make sense if this is allowed doing something like a sticker would be a logical next step.

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Steelers’ Zach Banner says he turned down multi-year contract from team

Zach Benner is betting on himself in 2020.

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Despite only being a reserve, there are few members of the Pittsburgh Steelers more universally loved than offensive tackle Zach Banner. Banner found his role last season as the team’s sixth offensive lineman in their run-heavy sets.

Every time the Steelers PA announcer says “No. 72 reporting as eligible” fans go crazy. Banner signed a one-year contract this offseason but according to him he was offered a longer deal and passed on it.

“They wanted me to sign for a couple of years but I just signed for one,” Banner said. “I just did a pancake, no pun intended. That’s when you flip it and you get a whole other side. A whole other opportunity.”

Read into that however you like but the bottom line is Banner is better on himself this season to play well enough to boost his value well past the $1.75 million he’s making this season.

The problem with the strategy is going to come down to playing time. At this point, there is no competition for either starting tackle position on the Steelers. Alejandro Villanueva will start on the left and Matt Feiler goes back to the right side.

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