Justin Hartwig has started every game since arriving in Pittsburgh prior to the 2008 season. But Hartwig knows the presence of rookie Maurkice Pouncey means there’s a competition at center.
“I’ve been playing football for a long time and I’ve worked my butt off and I do my job every day,” Hartwig said, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “and that’s not going to change based on somebody pushing me for my starting spot. I’m going to continue to do what I’ve been doing and everything will play itself out.”
Pouncey was initially expected to play guard as a rookie, but he has impressed the Steelers’ coaching staff in training camp and the first preseason game, and he’s now splitting snaps with Hartwig on the first-string offense. Although center is a tough position for a rookie to start at from Week One, the early indications are that Pouncey is capable of doing it.
That raises the question of what becomes of Hartwig if Pouncey beats him out. Hartwig declined to answer a question about possibly moving to guard, and that’s probably not a realistic option, as Hartwig hasn’t played guard since his rookie season with the Titans in 2002.
Bouchette writes that the Steelers might not be willing to pay Hartwig’s $2.08 million salary if he’s not a starter, and that the 31-year-old Hartwig could get cut before the regular season.
The other possibility is that the Steelers could trade Hartwig. That’s what they did two years ago, when Hartwig was the new arrival and beat out the incumbent center, Sean Mahan.
