Sawyer Ready for Spotlight

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published December 21, 2025, 2:29 PM

PITTSBUGH, PA – The idea of a “rookie wall” gets floated every season, usually right about the time the games start to matter more. For Jack Sawyer, it’s noise. Familiar noise. The kind he’s already lived through.

One of the first trio of Steelers warming up prior to kick off against the Detroit Lions, was none other than the rookie making his first start with T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig not expected to play.

Sawyer isn’t new to long seasons or rising stakes. At Ohio State, he played deep into the College Football Playoff, seasons that extended well beyond the standard fall grind. Last year ended with a national championship, a campaign that demanded durability as much as talent. The calendar stretched. The pressure intensified. The expectations never eased.

So, when the NFL season reaches its most demanding stretch, Sawyer sees less of a wall and more of a reminder.

“I don’t really, you know, for me right now, I’m not really focused on any of that,” Sawyer said. “I think that, you know, we played a long season last year, and so, you know, right now, I just think that it’s kind of similar to it was last year for us. It’s the most important part of the year and making that playoff push.”

That mindset is exactly what caught the attention of Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin long before Sawyer ever played a professional snap.

“One thing I always like when you watch Jack in college was, you know, it was tough and it was a big play,” Austin said. “He’s the guy that was proud, so he’s not afraid of those moments.”

Sawyer’s college tape backed that up. At Ohio State, he wasn’t just part of winning teams he was often on the field when games tightened and margins disappeared. High-leverage snaps. Late-game moments. Responsibilities that didn’t shrink when the pressure grew.

Now, those responsibilities are expanding again.

“Yeah, he’s going to be on the field, so he’s going to have to go against that,” Austin said, acknowledging the increased workload that comes with trust.

Sawyer doesn’t frame that as a burden. He frames it as football.

“They mentioned, like, the rookie wall and things of that nature,” Sawyer said. “I think we’re all tired after a practice or after a game. I think that’s football it’s a battle for a whole year and, you know, the strong survive.”

That survival mentality is familiar territory. At Ohio State, seasons weren’t measured by bowl eligibility or individual milestones. They were measured by how long you could last and how well you played when everything was on the line.

“The stakes get higher, you know, the games get bigger,” Sawyer said. “So, you know, you’re not really even focused on anything… getting a chance to play, you know, some big-time ball.”

For Sawyer, this part of the season isn’t where fatigue shows up. It’s where instincts take over. Where preparation replaces adrenaline. Where players built for meaningful football separate themselves.

No wall.

Just another stretch run one he’s been training for all along.

Sawyer’s college days prepared him for an NFL playoff run.

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com