Carson Bruener’s journey to the NFL reached a significant milestone when he received a call from the Pittsburgh Steelers during the draft. As he awaited his name to be called, Bruener was reminded of his father, Mark Bruener, who was also drafted by the Steelers 30 years prior. The moment was shared with his family in Westport, Washington, at the same cabin where his father had experienced his draft day.
“It probably felt like one of the longest weekends of my life,” Carson said. He watched every pick of every round and waited for a team to select him. When he saw the Pittsburgh area code on his phone, it was a surreal experience for him. “I always envisioned what that moment would be like, but seeing Pittsburgh, it was different. It made it better.”
Mark Bruener, a former Steelers tight end and current college scout, witnessed his son’s big moment firsthand. Carson recalled how calm yet proud his father remained as they celebrated together. “My dad was surprisingly pretty calm. He let me have my moment,” Carson noted.
The Pittsburgh Steelers organization allowed Mark to fly home from Pittsburgh to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with Carson and their family. “It speaks volumes of the Steelers organization,” Carson remarked.
As he enters the NFL, Carson carries insights from his father about adapting to professional play. “He told me take everything as it comes,” Carson said about transitioning from college football.
Now participating in Phase 2 of the offseason program after rookie minicamp, Carson aims to demonstrate his skills on defense and special teams. “What I bring is my physicality, my instincts and my ability to lead through both example and being vocal,” he stated.
Special teams hold particular importance for Carson since he embraced this role during college in 2022 when not getting as many defensive snaps as desired. “It’s something I’m going to embrace and love,” he emphasized regarding special teams’ role in his career.
Carson remains passionate about all aspects of football—from game preparation to relationships with teammates—and cherishes fulfilling childhood dreams inspired by watching his father’s career: “Playing football at this level has always been a dream of mine.”
