Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner says he’s ready to resume his NFL career. Banner posted a promo video to X, showing him hitting the gym and apparently in full health.
The 30-year-old Banner’s career paused after suffering a torn MCL during the Steelers’ 2020 Week 1 game versus the New York Giants. Banner missed the rest of the Covid-stricken season only to reinjure the knee during training camp in 2021.
After a six-week stint on the IR, Banner saw his fortunes decline. He played limited snaps during the 2021 season. The Steelers released Banner in March 2022. No team offered him an NFL contract, though his attempt at a comeback should not be a shocker. In 2023, Banner announced his desire to play NFL football on X.
The Tacoma, Washington native played college football at USC, finishing his 2016 senior season All-Pac 12 First Team. The Indianapolis Colts selected Banner in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. At the time, his 6-foot-8, 335-pound frame made him an attractive project.
Banner made the Colts’ 53-man roster out of camp in 2017, only to get waived in early September. He spent time with the Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers before landing with the Steelers in 2018.
After not playing during the 2018 season, Banner emerged in 2019 as a swing tackle in the Steelers’ offensive front. But he’s perhaps best remembered for his work as a “jumbo tight end” in then-offensive coordinator Randy Fichter’s scheme.
His success as a swing tackle for the Steelers led to another contract. Banner re-signed with Pittsburgh in 2020 and entered the season listed as the starting right tackle. Banner’s stint as a starter didn’t last long. After tearing his MCL in the 2020 season’s first game, he lost his starting job to Chukwuma Okorafor. He spent most of 2021 on the Steelers’ injured reserved list, and the team released him in March of 2022.
At 30, this might be Banner’s last chance for an NFL playing career. If he is as healthy as he claims, one injury on any of the 32 NFL teams could facilitate a phone call.