Perhaps it’s a little more convenient to say today now that he’s officially wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers’ uniform, but new EDGE rusher Markus Golden hoped to have Mike Tomlin call his phone way back on draft day in 2015. Speaking with reporters for the first time since being signed late last week, Golden said the Steelers were the team he was targeting nearly a decade ago.
“I’ve been a Pittsburgh Steelers fan,” Golden said as tweeted by The Trib’s Chris Adamski. “I love the way they do things. I actually wanted to come here when I was coming out of the draft.”
Back in 2015, it certainly felt like a possibility. Pittsburgh had interest in the Tigers’ top pass rushers that year, Shane Ray and Golden. Mike Tomlin and several members of the Steelers’ staff, including Joey Porter Sr., attending Missouri’s Pro Day that year. As has become commonplace — LB Elandon Roberts is another example — the Steelers circled back to a player they took a long look at in the pre-draft process.
Ultimately, Golden wasn’t drafted by Pittsburgh. The Steelers had their eyes set on the position but used their first-round pick to select freak athlete Bud Dupree, who took time but eventually became a solid pass rusher. Instead, Golden went in the second round, 58th overall, and began a long career with the Arizona Cardinals. He spent his first four years there and made a pitstop in New York with the Giants before returning to Arizona midway through the 2020 season. He spent 2021 and 2022 there before inking a one-year deal with Pittsburgh late last week.
In principle, the Steelers’ defense hasn’t changed much since 2015, making Pittsburgh an appealing place for Golden.
“Being able to come here, fly around. I know the rich history of linebackers here flying around, making plays, and I wanted to come be a part of that,” he said.
He’ll also be coached by a familiar face. Denzel Martin will work with the outside linebackers this year, and he is a Missouri grad who was college roommates with Golden.
Golden will function as the team’s #3 outside linebacker and rotational player behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, also serving as an insurance policy for any injuries similar to what Pittsburgh battled through over the last three seasons. In 2020, Dupree tore his ACL, 2021 saw Highsmith and Watt battle through injury, and Watt missed nearly the entire front half of the season due to a partially torn pec last season.
