{{Short description|American football player (born 2001)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Carson Bruener | image = Carson Bruener.jpg | caption = Bruener with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 | current_team = Pittsburgh Steelers | number = 44 | position = Linebacker | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|6|5}} | birth_place = Woodinville, Washington, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = 227 | high_school = Redmond {{nowrap|(Redmond, Washington)}} | college = Washington (2020–2024) | draftyear = 2025 | draftround = 7 | draftpick = 226 | pastteams = * Pittsburgh Steelers ({{nfly|2025}}–present) | status = Active | highlights = * PFWA All-Rookie Team (2025) * Third-team All-Big Ten (2024) | statlabel1 = Tackles | statvalue1 = 19 }} '''Carson Bruener''' (born June 5, 2001) is an American professional football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies and was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft.
== Early life == Bruener attended Redmond High School. He was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Washington Huskies.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vorel |first1=Mike |title=Three-star 2020 linebacker, UW football legacy Carson Bruener verbally commits to Washington |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/three-star-2020-linebacker-uw-football-legacy-carson-bruener-verbally-commits-to-washington/ |website=The Seattle Times |date=June 21, 2019 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref>
== College career == In his first career game in week 3 of the 2021 season, Bruener made eight tackles and forced a fumble in a win over Arkansas State.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vorel |first1=Mike |title='It's a Bruener thing': UW legacy linebacker Carson Bruener breaks out in victory over Arkansas State |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/its-a-bruener-thing-uw-legacy-linebacker-carson-bruener-breaks-out-in-victory-over-arkansas-state/ |website=The Seattle Times |date=September 20, 2021 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref> In week 9, he earned his first career start versus Stanford, where he finished with 16 tackles with one and a half being for a loss, a sack and a half, and a forced fumble en route to being named the Pac-12 Conference freshman of the week and the Pac-12 defensive player of the week.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vorel |first1=Mike |title=Legacy linebacker Carson Bruener is determined to be part of the solution for Huskies |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/legacy-linebacker-carson-bruener-is-determined-to-be-part-of-the-solution-for-huskies/ |website=The Seattle Times |date=April 27, 2022 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref> In his first collegiate season in 2021, Bruener totaled 70 tackles with two and a half being for a loss, a sack and a half, two forced fumbles, and an interception.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vorel |first1=Mike |title=How hard-hitting Husky legacy Carson Bruener embraced his role as UW's special teams ace |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/how-hard-hitting-husky-legacy-carson-bruener-embraced-his-role-as-uws-special-teams-ace/ |website=The Seattle Times |date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref>
In the 2022 season, he tallied 45 tackles with three and a half being for a loss, and a pass deflections.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carson Bruener 2022 Game Logs |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/carson-bruener-1/gamelog/2022/ |website=Sports Reference |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref> In week 12 of the 2023 season, Bruener recorded 14 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection in a win over Oregon State.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Notebook: After breaking out against Oregon State, what's next for Husky linebacker Carson Bruener? |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/washington-huskies-football/notebook-after-breaking-out-against-oregon-state-whats-next-for-husky-linebacker-carson-bruener/ |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
During the 2023 season, he notched 86 tackles with two and a half being for a loss, three pass deflections, an interception, and a forced fumble,<ref>{{cite web |title=Carson Bruener 2023 Game Logs |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/carson-bruener-1/gamelog/2023/ |website=Sports Reference |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref> earning honorable mention all-Pac-12 accolades.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Raley |first1=Dan |title=Underappreciated Bruener Draws Some Overdue Attention |url=https://www.si.com/college/washington/football/underappreciated-bruener-draws-some-overdue-attention |work=Washington Huskies on SI |publisher=SI.com |date=March 20, 2024 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref>
In 2024 Bruener was voted a team captain and started all 13 games. He led the UW defense with 103 tackles and three interceptions. Bruener's outstanding play was recognized with third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. He also was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carson Bruener 2024 |url=https://gohuskies.com/sports/football/roster/carson-bruener/15944/ |website=gohuskies.com |access-date=September 19, 2025}}</ref>
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 1 1/4 | weight = 227 | dash = 4.58 | ten split = 1.57 | twenty split = 2.68 | shuttle = 4.24 | cone drill = 6.77 | vertical = 33.5 | broad ft = 9 | broad in = 11 | arm span = 31 3/4 | hand span = 9 1/4 | note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reuter |first=Chad |last2=Zierlein |first2=Lance |title=Carson Bruener Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/carson-bruener/32004252-5522-8808-fe83-2fba4f037a50 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |website=NFL.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1039560&DraftYear=2025 |title=Carson Bruener College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=February 27, 2025}}</ref> }}
Bruener was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 226th pick in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Varley |first=Teresa |date=April 26, 2025 |title=Steelers select Bruener in seventh round |url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-select-bruener-in-seventh-round |access-date=May 10, 2025 |website=Steelers.com}}</ref> He made his professional debut in a 34–32 Week 1 victory over the New York Jets. During the win, he recorded his first professional tackle.<ref name="v357">{{cite web | title=Carson Bruener 2025 Stats per Game | website=- ESPN | date=September 8, 2025 | url=https://www.espn.com.sg/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/4429490/carson-bruener | access-date=September 8, 2025}}</ref>
== Personal life == Bruener is the son of former NFL first round pick and Steelers tight end Mark Bruener.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Caple |first1=Christian |title=The man in the middle: Carson Bruener emerging as an unlikely star for Washington's defense |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2934963/2021/11/04/the-man-in-the-middle-carson-bruener-emerging-as-an-unlikely-star-for-washingtons-defense/ |date=November 4, 2021 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Jude |first1=Adam |title=UW's Bruener family has chance to cement 'special' link with father-son championships |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/uws-bruener-family-has-chance-to-cement-special-link-with-father-son-championships/ |website=The Seattle Times |date=January 6, 2024 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.steelers.com/team/players-roster/carson-bruener/ Pittsburgh Steelers bio] *[https://gohuskies.com/sports/football/roster/carson-bruener/15944 Washington Huskies bio]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruener, Carson}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from King County, Washington Category:Sportspeople from Woodinville, Washington Category:American football linebackers Category:Washington Huskies football players Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players Category:21st-century American sportsmen