Down quarterback Kenny Pickett for at least Week 14 against the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers are adding to the quarterback room this week.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers are signing veteran quarterback Trace McSorley to the practice squad, giving Pittsburgh a third healthy quarterback that they can theoretically elevate to the Active/Inactive roster for Thursday night and dress as the emergency third quarterback.
McSorley, 28, spent time this offseason with the New England Patriots before being cut ahead of the 53-man roster deadline. In October, McSorley spent a month on the Chicago Bears’ practice squad. Now, he lands in Pittsburgh as a depth option on the practice squad.
A former sixth-round pick out of Penn State by the Baltimore Ravens, McSorley has spent time with the Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Patriots and Bears in his career. He’s appeared in nine games with one start, completing 45-of-83 passes for 412 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions, adding 21 carries for 79 yards.
In college, McSorley was a three-time second-team All-Big Ten quarterback for the Nittany Lions, leading Penn State to a Big Ten championship in 2016.
Though on the smaller side at 6001, 202 pounds, McSorley was lauded for his toughness and athleticism coming out of college. Those traits have kept him around in the NFL. He appeared in a game as a rookie against the Steelers at then-Heinz Field in 2020, subbing in for the injured Robert Griffin III while Lamar Jackson was out due to COVID protocols.
McSorley came off the benching and completed 2-of-6 passes for 77 yards and his first career touchdown, which was a 70-yard pass to Hollywood Brown on a blown coverage. In that game, he also carried the ball three times for 16 yards, including a seven-yard run for a fourth-down conversion.
After his time in Baltimore, McSorley spent time in Arizona. He started one game last season after Kyler Murray tore his ACL. Though the Cardinals lost the game in overtime, 19-16, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, McSorley threw for 217 yards.
Following his stint in Arizona, McSorley signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in the offseason. He didn’t get much of a look in the preseason, completing just 1-of-4 passes for 4 yards, adding one carry for two yards before being cut.
McSorley is quite familiar with Kenny Pickett, having played against him in college. The two also share the same QB coach in the offseason in Tony Racioppi.
