Steelers All 90: C/G J.C. Hassenauer
All 90 is a Pittsburgh Steelers Now series profiling each of the 90 members of the Steelers 2021 offseason roster.
60 • J.C. Hassenauer, second-year center/guard
6-foot-2, 295 pounds
Acquired: Signed with the Steelers as a street free agent on April 5, 2019. Re-signed with the team in 2020 and 2021.
Last season: Earned the first playing time of his career, participating in 15 games and making four starts as the Steelers dealt with injuries to both starting guards and center Maurkice Pouncey throughout the season.
Hassenauer played 235 snaps at center, including nearly all of the Steelers’ Week 12, 13 and 17 games in place of Pouncey. He also played some left guard.
Career: Hassenauer spent 2019 on the Steelers’ practice squad. He played for the Birmingham Iron of the XFL in the spring of 2019 and was on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2018.
College: Made just three career starts while serving as a key backup for Alabama, including the 2017 Iron Bowl against Auburn and the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Georgia.
Hassenauer played center and left guard for the Crimson Tide. Won two national titles.
Camp outlook: With Pouncey’s retirement, Hassenauer enters 2021 at the top of the Steelers’ depth chart at center, but will face a good bit of competition for that job.
Third-round rookie Kendrick Green and returning free agent B.J. Finney will provide competition for Hassenauer. Green will assuredly make the team, but the Steelers do not usually keep three backup interior linemen, so one of Hassenauer, Finney and guard Rashaad Coward could be practice squad-bound.
Future: Hassenauer will be an exclusive-rights free agent once again after the 2021 season.
The rest of the 90:
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