He played college football for Louisiana State University (LSU), and earned consensus All-America honors.

While attending John Curtis Christian he played football and basketball for the 27-time state champions while in middle and junior high school.

Faneca then attended Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, Texas, lettering in football and track.

Faneca attended Louisiana State University, and played for the LSU Tigers football team from 1994 to 1997.

[4] He saw limited playing time at first but injuries to fellow Steelers Will Wolford and Jim Sweeney allowed him to get his first start against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Also selected to the USA Today Sports Weekly's All-Pro team was voted to his second consecutive Pro Bowl In 2003, he switched positions from left guard to left tackle due to injuries, helping teammate Amos Zereoué to three 100-yard performances during the season.

He helped running backs Jerome Bettis, Duce Staley, and Willie Parker set individual and team rushing records, as well as propelling the Steelers to Super Bowl XL in Detroit, in which Pittsburgh defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21–10.

In the 2007 season he helped quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to a perfect passer rating of 158.3 and Najeh Davenport to 123 rushing yards in Week 16 at St. Louis Rams.

The contract made Faneca the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history (a distinction quickly overtaken by rookie Jake Long).

[5] Faneca was expected to provide veteran leadership to a Jets offensive line that included three former first-round picks from 1999 and 2006, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold and Damien Woody.

They surprised many observers by beating the Chargers and going to the AFC Championship game where they eventually succumbed to the Indianapolis Colts 30–17.