The Pittsburgh Steelers have released QB Trace McSorley from their practice squad, as announced by the team’s Twitter account Tuesday afternoon. He was signed to the Steelers practice squad on Dec. 4th, the day after QB Kenny Pickett suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 13. He was added as an extra option, as the Steelers only had two healthy options on the roster at the time. Now that Pickett is fully back, McSorley is no longer necessary. However, if the Steelers like him, the season will soon be over, and he could be signed to a futures contract later on. QB coach Mike Sullivan, who is also the interim play-caller on offense, recently praised his addition to the roster, saying he was a “great addition.” That kind of attention from the quarterback coach could indeed see him circle back in the offseason, if available.
He has an extra fanbase in Pittsburgh, as there are many fans of Penn State University’s football team in the area. He was the quarterback there from 2015-2018. He was initially drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft but has bounced around to a number of organizations. He spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, and Chicago Bears in between his times with the Ravens and Steelers.
In his NFL career, he has suited up for nine total games with one start. He has completed 48 passes on 93 attempts for 502 yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions. He also rushed for 79 yards on 21 attempts. The lone start was with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022 in a 19-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His athleticism likely made him a valuable addition to the practice squad initially to help simulate some of the mobile quarterbacks the Steelers faced over the last few games of the season.
This roster move opens up a spot on the practice squad, so stay tuned to the site for an addition to the practice squad in the coming days.
