Whenever a player signs late in the NFL offseason, there’s a reason for it. For an inside linebacker of Kwon Alexander’s stature, that reason likely hinged on his injury history.
A former Pro Bowler and a key member of the San Francisco 49ers 2019 team that reached the Super Bowl, Alexander has suffered several serious injuries throughout his career. In nine NFL seasons, the linebacker has torn his ACL, pec, biceps, and Achilles heel, raising question marks about his long-term health. Despite these concerns, the Steelers inked the LSU product to a one-year deal, and following his first practice, he sounded confident that those injuries haven’t his ability to impact a game.
“Nothing changed,” Alexander told reporters via video posted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I’m going to always go out there and be myself. I don’t worry about injuries, those come during games. You got to be able to take care of yourself like I did last year.”
Last season with the New York Jets, Alexander played in all 17 games, the most of his career, and started in 12, the most since 2020. As the Jets’ middle man on defense, the 28-year-old shined, tallying a 63 grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest he had received since 2017 when he made the Pro Bowl.
“The future looks, amazing, legendary,” said Alexander. “I’m ready to go out there and play.”
Outside of his injuries, Alexander provides the team with a smart, aggressive, coverage linebacker, which the team sorely lacked. As he continues to familiarize himself with nuances of the Steelers defensive playbook, expect the thumper to make his presence felt on the team, especially as they transition to padded practices Tuesday.
