If you’re attending Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp later this month or in August, you now know the jersey numbers of the two most recent signings to the team’s 90-man roster. According to the Steelers’ website, LB Nick Kwiatkoski will wear #46 while LS Rex Sunahara will wear #49.
Both players were officially signed on June 20th. Kwiatkoski is a veteran linebacker and Pittsburgh native who played his high school football at Bethel Park before committing to West Virginia. A fourth-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2016, he’s appeared in 89 games, starting 34, and recorded 293 career tackles. He spent last season as a special teamer with the Atlanta Falcons, logging 228 snaps on special teams and finishing the year with seven total stops.
Kwiatkoski will function as a backup linebacker and experienced depth behind presumed starters Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. He should be a multi-phase special teamer in Pittsburgh, too. Throughout his career, Kwiatkoski has worn #44 and #53 so this will be a new NFL digit for him. He wore #35 in college.
Sunahara has yet to appear in an NFL game but this is his second stint with the Steelers. He was signed late in 2021 to the team’s practice squad as COVID insurance and inked a futures contract with the team after the season. But the team waived him following its 2022 rookie minicamp. Also from West Virginia, Sunahara has unusual size for the position at 6’6 and will battle incumbent Christian Kuntz for the starting long snapping job this summer.
Pittsburgh should have intense battles with two of their three specialist spots in camp. While Kuntz and Sunahara fight, punters Pressley Harvin III and Braden Mann will battle to be the starter.
Pittsburgh’s active roster sits at its 90-man maximum. The Steelers will report to training camp on July 26th with their first practice taking place the following day.
