PITTSBURGH — Kelvin Beachum wasn’t built to play center. Sorry, grow up the biggest kid on the block and you tend to get stereotyped by football coaches.

So Beachum spent his childhood at tackle, where a quiet kid from Texas could use his frame to push defensive linemen around with relative ease.

Eight plays into last Sunday’s 16-9 loss to Tennessee, that all changed. One minute, the Pittsburgh Steelers reserve offensive lineman/was standing on the sideline watching the Steelers drive deep into Tennessee territory, the next, he was snapping the ball to Ben Roethlisberger after Pro Bowl standout Maurkice Pouncey left on a cart, his right knee mangled and his season already over.

While Roethlisberger knelt on the field, his hands on his head, Beachum fired off a couple of snaps trying to make sure he knew what he was doing. There weren’t any jitters. It all happened so quickly, he didn’t have the luxury of getting nervous.

“There no time to go through the emotions or feel your way through,” Beachum said. “You have to just go play football.”

And for all the chaos that surrounded Pittsburgh’s forgettable opening weekend, Beachum’s ability to handle a position he hadn’t played since Pee Wee is cause for optimism heading into Monday night’s game at Cincinnati.

“Beachum is going to do well,” guard Ramon Foster said. “We’re going to help him as much as possible. ”

Even if the guy who usually runs the switchboard is scheduled to undergo surgery on Thursday to repair torn ligaments in his knee. While the Steelers preach a “next man up” philosophy, there’s little doubt Pouncey’s absence on the field will be felt.