Every NFL offseason brings its share of contract speculation. However, for Troy Fautanu, this summer is about much more than football. Alongside growing expectations of a big-money deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the standout lineman may have revealed a major personal update through a subtle picture of his partner, Carys Zayda.

“I did something y’all…” wrote Fautanu on Instagram Story with a picture of his partner. The first update came on Friday, when Troy Fautanu did not explicitly state whether he got engaged to Carys Zayda.

But in the new pictures shared with the caption, “Future Mr. & Mrs. 🤍,” the Steelers OT confirmed his proposal to his girlfriend, Carys Zayda, with a joint Instagram post.

According to reports, the couple started dating in 2018 while attending Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada. When Fautanu moved to Seattle to play for the Washington Huskies, the couple maintained their long-distance relationship, while Zayda pursued a nursing degree at Nevada State University.

On August 9, 2023, the couple celebrated their fifth anniversary. Fautanu dedicated a post to Zayda on his social media, writing, “Grateful to have you by my side these past 5 years. I wouldn’t want it to be anybody else.” The offensive lineman was still playing for the Huskies back then. However, the next year, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Troy Fautanu as the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Following that, he thanked his partner, Carys Zayda, alongside his family, for their constant support. Meanwhile, the personal update came just ahead of an expected contract extension for the Steelers’ offensive lineman.

Troy Fautanu throws hints towards an extension deal

While a severe kneecap dislocation prematurely ended his 2024 rookie campaign after just one start, Troy Fautanu’s recovery and ensuing performance have impressed many, especially his breakout 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Fautano logged 1,031 offensive snaps in 18 games, missing virtually no time on the field, and finished with a Pro Football Focus (PFF) 71.0 pass-blocking grade (40th out of 89 qualified NFL tackles).

Meanwhile, many analysts have noted that Fautanu has firmly protected his earning potential by asserting himself as an edge blocker. The offensive lineman is currently on his four-year rookie contract with the Steelers, earning around $3.5 million annually, and played right guard during his first two seasons with the Steelers.

“… If you work hard enough at something, you have enough reps, you’re going to get good at it. So obviously, I played right for two years and thousands and thousands of reps doing that. I got really comfortable there, but if I’m being asked to move to the left, then I can do it,” Fautanu said during OTAs about switching sides. Fautanu said about switching sides during the OTAs.

As things stand, with teammate Broderick Jones recovering from major spinal fusion surgery, the Steelers are moving Fautanu to left tackle, his natural position from college, for the upcoming season.

“I think that that group is really good especially when it comes to that group of Troy Fautanu, who had a really good year last year, of course, moving from right to left. I think he is going to be rock solid at left tackle,” noted JP Acosta, who co-hosts Pushing the Pile podcast and is also seen on CBS Sports HQ.

Typically, left tackles are one of the highest-paid positions in the league. Take the Washington Commanders‘ Laremy Tunsil for an example. His two-year, $60.2 million contract extension, signed earlier this year, made him the first offensive lineman to average $30.1 million per year.

According to a report from the Steeler Nation, “Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu look like premier players at their positions, respectively, with Mason McCormick not far behind. Frazier and Fautanu are potentially looking at big-money extensions, finally putting some more money into the offense.”

Comparatively, Fautanu is new to the league. However, if the 25-year-old OT builds a strong campaign in 2026, his future contract extension can go between $25 million and $32 million per year, making him the highest-paid player from his draft class.