Steel City Underground’s 2023 Steelers Awards: Offense
Steel City Underground presents their annual postseason awards to members of the Pittsburgh Steelers who had outstanding performances during the 2023 NFL regular season.
Every year, Steel City Underground does a postseason analysis of players who stood out in different categories in order to award those performances. This year’s offense awards were carefully considered based on statistics, the eye test, and individual contributions given by the award winner to the team as a whole during the 2023 NFL regular season.
Comeback player award
After getting very little attention, including training camp and the preseason, Mason Rudolph was pulled off the emergency quarterback list and thrust into late-season fire. Logically, it was predicted that Rudolph would have rust since being shelved since his last true run as a starting quarterback during the 2019 NFL season. Instead, Rudolph reignited the Steelers’ chances for a winning season and postseason entrance.
His first official start during the season took place in Week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals. After completing 17-of-27 passes for 290 yards, including seven first down conversions, and two touchdowns in the 34-11 victory, Mike Tomlin stuck with his veteran backup for the remainder of the season. Rudolph went on to lead the Steelers offense in the two final games of the season and his first-ever playoff game.
Rudolph’s return to the starting lineup went far above expectations, earning him our offensive comeback player award.
Rookie phenom award
The Steelers may not have played their first round (no. 14 overall) selection in the 2023 NFL Draft right away, or at the position they anticipated he’d play on their offensive line, but Broderick Jones earned 11 starts in 17 regular season games and his career-first playoff game. Moved to right tackle, Jones logged 767 snaps in regular season play and was penalized just once: for offensive holding. He also recorded one fumble recovery. Jones was utilized in 13 percent of special teams play as well.
Jones gave fans and the organization a glimpse of what an improved offensive line could offer by helping create better pass protection and options for creating an effective ground game. His rookie experience should pay dividends in Pittsburgh moving forward.
Surprise standout award
After spending seven seasons with the other NFL team in Pennsylvania, Issac Seumalo came to Pittsburgh and quickly gave the Steelers options in blocking schemes that had been elusive the season prior. That gave the Steelers run game a major, much-needed boost.
Additionally, as reported by PFF in January, Seumalo had not “given up” a sack in 551 pass-blocking snaps. Official NFL stats also showed that Seumalo was flagged just twice during an incredibly challenging season.
Seumalo showed a versatility along the offensive line that was especially helpful in setting up Pittsburgh’s offense to be more dominant, especially in the second half of the season, and was a positive free agent signing in the Omar Khan era.
Offensive performance award
This award goes to the one player during the 2023 regular season that led the offense in overall performance in multiple categories: Najee Harris.
Harris, winner of yet another scepter from Kyle Brandt of Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, led the Steelers in offensive scoring with eight touchdowns while stiff-arming and churning his legs for extra yardage after initially touching the ball. Harris also was awarded the “Angry Run of the Year” at the NFL Honors event.
Harris, sharing touches out of the offensive backfield with Jaylen Warren, recorded 1,035 rushing yards on 255 carries during the regular season. Earning 51 first down conversions, Harris finished the regular season with 1,205 yards from scrimmage. He caught 29 passes for 170 yards.
