After a long visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, free agent linebacker Dont’a Hightower has reportedly left the team’s facility without signing a contract, according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Earlier on Tuesday, Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network tweeted there were some ”positive vibes” out of the Steelers’ headquarters potentially related to contract talks. Later in the day, however, Kinkhabwala tweeted that no deal had been finalized and that it was in her opinion that Hightower was buying time in order to talk to the New England Patriots about a better deal.
Hightower visited with the New York Jets on Monday and it appears as though they still might be in play for his services as well.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweeted Tuesday afternoon that the Jets interest in Hightower “cannot be overstated” and that the Patriots are “keeping a close eye” on his situation as well.
The Jets interest in Dont’a Hightower cannot be overstated. Steelers won’t make a massive offer. Pats still keeping a close eye
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 14, 2017
Update: Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports that the Steelers have told Hightower that if he leaves town the deal they offered him will be pulled off the table.
