Newly signed Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker Tae Crowder will wear #54 for the team. The Steelers.com website has updated its roster with Crowder’s number now shown.
Crowder was signed off the New York Giants’ practice squad yesterday and will be carried through the rest of the regular season. The last pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, Crowder already had a fair amount of playing time under his belt. He started all 17 games for the Giants last year, racking up 130 tackles (three for a loss) and two interceptions. Before falling out of favor with the Giants earlier this year, he started eight games and recording 45 tackles. But he lost playing time under new head coach Brian Daboll and was released on December 20th and signed to the team’s practice squad before being poached by Pittsburgh.
Crowder was signed to replace the injured Marcus Allen, placed on IR yesterday due to a biceps injury suffered in Saturday night’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now it’ll be a question of if we see a #54 on gameday. Crowder is catching a moving train late in the season and Allen’s injury opens the door for rookie Mark Robinson to see consistent playing time. Just as the Steelers have done with DL Jonathan Marshall, plucked from the New York Jets’ practice squad earlier this month but yet to dress for a game, Crowder could be a gameday inactive during the team’s final two games against the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. The Steelers normally only dress four inside linebackers per game with Myles Jack, Devin Bush, and Robert Spillane cemented in along with Robinson as the potential fourth and final gameday helmet.
The last Steeler to wear #54 was LB Ulysees Gilbert III, who was injured during training camp and waived with an injury settlement. He resurfaced with Tampa Bay and has played in three games this season, seeing all his time on special teams.
