Steelers Gave Mark Bruener Time Off to Watch Them Draft His Son
Steelers college scout Mark Bruener was ready to risk being fired to be with his son during the 2025 NFL Draft. Mark revealed that nothing was going to stop him from watching his son, Carson Bruener, get drafted—even if it meant being let go from his scouting position. For Mark, it was easy to choose to be a father first and a Steelers employee second. Fortunately for Mark, the Steelers recognize the importance of family. The team granted him time off to be with his family to enjoy watching Carson being drafted. Steelers general manager Omar Khan and the team allowed Mark to be at home in Seattle for the last two days of the draft instead of at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Carson, a linebacker from the University of Washington, was chosen by the Steelers in the seventh round of this year’s NFL Draft.
Carson described how he felt when the Steelers drafted him. He said, “I am sitting in the same spot my dad got drafted in 30 years ago at our cabin. The same spot. It's a full-circle moment. It's crazy.” Mark was a first-round Steelers draft pick in 1995. He played nine seasons as a tight end with the Steelers and five with the Houston Texans. The Steelers made it very clear that Carson was not drafted because of his relationship to Mark. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin discussed how Carson’s talent impressed him and the rest of the team. He remarked, “As I told him when we had him on the phone, we were on the phone with him because of the merits of his resume and the things that he did at [Washington]. Over 100 tackles this year as a starting inside linebacker, displaying great instincts, and in ’22 and ’23, he had double-digit special teams tackles for his football team. It is a worthy resume.”
Carson is six-foot-one and weighs 227 pounds. His 40-yard dash time is 4.58 seconds, and his 10-yard split time is 1.57 seconds. Carson is well-known for his special-teams skills. In 2024, he was a Third-Team All-Big Ten Selection. Carson was excited to arrive at the Steelers’ rookie minicamp this year. He said, “It was awesome just to walk in the locker room, seeing my name in there, seeing my jersey — the 44, I love that number.” He added, “I’ve been a Steelers fan forever, so it’s not just being able to be here that’s good enough. No, it’s being here, staying here, and proving my worth.”
The Steelers are no strangers to family legacies within their organization. The Rooney family has been the majority owners since the Steelers were established in 1933. Art Rooney was the founder of the team. Art Rooney II is the current Steelers president. Another example of family ties within the franchise is Joey Porter Sr. and Joey Porter Jr. Porter Sr. was a Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker from 1999-2006. His son, Joey Porter Jr., has played cornerback for the Steelers since 2023. With Carson Bruener being drafted to the team while Mark works as a team scout, it’s clear that family legacies will continue to be an important part of the Steelers’ organization.
