Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones has made a major step in his recovery.
The status of Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones has been very much up in the air since he suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 12 last season. However, the Steelers just got a major update on his recovery process.
The Steelers kicked off Phase One of their offseason program and Jones was seen participating with the rest of the team on the field.
Seeing Jones back on the field may be surprising to some, given his injury occurred during the second half of the 2025 season, but general manager Omar Khan hinted at the NFL Owners Meetings in Phoenix that Jones was making good progress.
"Broderick's starting to do more and more," Khan said. "I talked to him a couple times over the last couple weeks. He's in a good place and ready to work hard and do whatever he can to be ready to go."
Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Broderick Jones before a game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 15, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Khan must decide next whether to pick up Jones' fifth-year option by May 1. The price tag for his fifth-year option is $19.072 million.
That is quite costly for a player who has largely underwhelmed as the team's first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, in addition to his injury.
According to the Cleveland Clinic , spinal fusion is a surgery procedure that reinforces your back structure and stability by linking two vertebrae together. The vertebrae support each other, with the goal of reducing pain and easing symptoms related to your spinal cord and nerves. Typical recovery lasts 3–6 months for daily activity, though full bone fusion can take a year.
Recent former Steelers — Trenton Thompson and Ryan Watts — both retired due to neck injuries, which is why many, including Khan, have questioned Jones' status for the start of the 2026 season.
"Obviously, he had a significant injury and we're monitoring how he progresses," Khan said . "I know he's working hard. It's early in the process. That's certainly something that we're monitoring."
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Phoenix.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Receive Major Injury Update on Broderick Jones
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