It’s not often that players switch sides in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens’ rivalry, but when it does happen it’s rather notable.
Names like Rod Woodson, Alejandro Villanueva, Le’Veon Bell, Chris Wormley, Mike Wallace and Kordell Stewart, among others, have done it in the past, some having more success than others after the switch.
Now, the Steelers are hoping new outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon has some success in the Black and Gold after the Steelers claimed him on waivers in January and were officially awarded him after the Super Bowl.
For Ravens GM Eric DeCosta, speaking to reporters Tuesday at the NFL’s Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, he believes that Moon is going to have a great career.
“Jeremiah is a very hard-charging guy. Good on special teams,” DeCosta said when asked about Moon by Steelers Depot’s Jonathan Heitritter. “I think he’s a developmental outside ‘backer, strong and physical, great attitude and I think he’s gonna have a great career, definitely.”
Special teams is where he made his mark in Baltimore as an undrafted free agent out of Florida. With the Ravens last season, Moon played 141 snaps on special teams and also saw 99 snaps on defense under head coach Jim Harbaugh and former defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald. He spent the entire 2022 season on the Ravens’ practice squad before getting an opportunity in 2023.
In those 99 snaps defensively last season, Moon had 12 tackles, including one for loss, and two forced fumbles while starting one game. Both of Moon’s forced fumbles came against the Steelers, with one coming in Week 18 in a downpour, the other in Week 5 at Acrisure Stadium on a Gunner Olszewski fumble.
Moon checks in at 6046, 247 pounds and had quite the impressive athletic testing background coming out of Florida. That was highlighted by a 40-inch vertical and 11’1″ broad jump. Moon also clocked a 4.76 40-yard dash and a 7.09 3-cone time.
In the film breakdown of Moon after he was claimed, Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora had this to say about Moon:
“Overall, he’s worth a flier, even if the circumstances of his addition are a bit unusual. I like his size, length, and run defense if he can become more technical. There’s no guarantee he will make the team, but he could stick as a No. 4 outside linebacker if Markus Golden doesn’t return. He’s bigger and stronger than someone like Kyron Johnson, who carved a role on special teams but is far too undersized to have a defensive role in Pittsburgh’s system.”
Size, strength and overall play style from an aggressive, hard-charging nature put Moon on the radar of the Ravens coming out of Florida. Now, he’s a Steeler and looking to carve out a role for the Black and Gold.
