Steelers OT Chukwuma Okorafor's Top 10 Most Preposterous Reasons For Getting Benched In Week 9

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Tennessee Titans 20-16 on Amazon Prime's Thursday Night Football. During a short week, the Steelers made a significant change by inserting Broderick Jones into the lineup at right tackle. Jones and the Steelers had their best game rushing the ball in 2023. Jones, except for a late penalty, acquitted himself well during the game.

There was significant speculation about why Chukwuma Okorafor lost his job to Jones in Week 9 of the NFL season. During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Mike Tomlin explained to Brooke Pryor from ESPN if the decision to go with the first-round draft pick in primetime was, in fact, true to Okorafor’s confession about acting out during the Jacksonville Jaguars game.

“A significant factor,” Tomlin tersely acknowledged.

It isn’t often that an NFL starter loses his job for something that is not said publicly. Tomlin would not toss Okorafor under the bus by disclosing what was said or done during the 20-10 loss to the Jaguars. Andrew Fillipponi from The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller wondered on social media what the right tackle could have possibly done that was so egregious.

Your wish is our command here at Steeler Nation. The millions of fans allegedly in the Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger audience, the dozen or so Matt Canada fans, and Mr. Fillipponi deserve an answer. Without further adieu, the magic eight ball has been engaged, and here are the Top 10 things Okorafor might have done to find his way to the bench in Week 9.

10. Suggested That The Steelers Put Mason Rudolph In At Quarterback - The Rudolph stans won't believe it, but he isn't in the Steelers' plans, no matter how badly they want him to be the quarterback. It is a little late to put Rudolph in and make a serious run at Kaleb Williams and Drake Maye, but they can dream of them as a backup for Rudolph, can't they? 

9. Asked Trevor Lawrence What Conditioner He Uses To Stay Silky Smooth - Lawrence's hairstyle is the envy of soccer moms everywhere. Lawrence might be flirting dangerously with a Karen hairstyle, but honestly, it is a shiny wonder. Nick Wright is so enamored, he sports a wig every time Lawrence wins a playoff game, or he has a private moment alone. 

8. Told Coach Tomlin That Chase Claypool Might Have Had A Point About Including Some Music - Few players have gotten Tomlin's goat like Claypool. Reminding the Steelers head coach that he should potentially revisit the division of labor regarding music might have backfired big time. 

7. Thanking Coaches For Three And Outs Because It Is A Good Opportunity To Stay Rested - Too much time on the field wears down a defense, but people need to consider how it affects the big guys on the offensive line. Canada and Tomlin make a concerted effort to keep the offense rested. Unfortunately for Okorafor, it is not on purpose. 

6. Asked If He Could Skip The Fourth Quarter To Get A Jump On Traffic - Okorafor wasn't alone in this sentiment. It is hard to blame him for asking when the stands emptied after Mitch Trubisky threw his 14th interception in the second half against the Jaguars. Just kidding, Okorafor asked at halftime when he knew Kenny Pickett wasn't playing the second half. 

5. Taunted George Pickens About How Many Targets Diontae Johnson Was Getting - Johnson was targeted 14 times to Pickens five in the Jaguars game. Trubisky went against the game plan and threw a ball over the middle of the field to Pickens for the Steelers' only score of the day. Canada, from the safety of the booth, immediately stopped that kind of offense for the rest of the game. 

4. Suggested Matt Canada Come To Sidelines - In fairness to Tomlin and Canada's significant change during Week 9, Okorafor just wanted to see if his offensive coordinator would deliver an order from the concession stand while the defense was spending an eternity on the field against the Jaguars. 

3. Confessed To Pat Meyer That The Big Men Who Run By Him On Passing Plays Scare Him - Okorafor is not quite a swinging gate on pass plays. That would suggest he moves quickly when allowing free rushers into the backfield. It is unfair to criticize his pass-blocking; I apologize. His run blocking isn't very good either. 

2. Ordered Food From The Hot Dog Guy On Third Down - The offensive unit has to be prepared to take the field during a quick change situation. Okorafor broke the cardinal rule by flagging a food vendor down on a third and long. It was bad that he chose to order food on a key down. It was worse that the Steelers still had the ball. 

1. Said He Didn't Want To Play Because He Was Jealous That Dan Moore Jr. Was Roethlisberger's Favorite Lineman - The former Steelers quarterback has gone out of his way to express his unconditional love for an offensive tackle that nearly got him killed, but was awfully sorry about it. Okorafor's lack of empathy is not winning him any support with Spencer Te'o and Roethlisberger, either. 

Okorafor is the senior man on the Steelers offensive line and is paid well at over $9 million dollars annually. Tomlin suggested that a critical factor in the decision to move Jones to right tackle is because Moore is significantly better at left tackle than at right. Jones is better than Moore and Okorafor, so the likelihood of the six-year veteran becoming a cap casualty has increased with his sudden demotion. 

What do you think, Steeler Nation? This was a lighthearted look at Okorafor's demotion, but what do you think is the real reason? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq. 

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