Like Myles Jack, the Pittsburgh Steelers are right where we are: sitting at home being mad. Although they managed to make the playoffs in 2023, they lost in the first round. It has now been seven years without a postseason victory, the longest drought in franchise history. The question is what to do next.
The first step is always taking stock of what happened and what is left. That’s part of the exit meeting process, in which coaches meet with each player. They discuss the season and their expectations moving forward—and potentially their role within it.
While we might not know all the details about what goes on between head coach Mike Tomlin and his players during these exit meetings, we do know how we would conduct those meetings if they were let up to us. So here are the Depot’s exit meetings for the Steelers’ roster following the 2023 season.
Player: Myles Jack
Position: Inside Linebacker
Experience: 7 Years
Myles Jack only played three games for the Steelers last season from the practice squad, meaning he didn’t accrue a season. Just in case anybody noticed that he has played in eight seasons, but I credit his experience as seven. I go by accrued seasons, and you have to be on the active (or reserve) roster for six-plus games. But nobody actually cares about this, right? Moving along.
I expected to see Jack in a Steelers uniform again last season as much as anybody expects the Spanish Inquisition. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. Their chief weapon is surprise. Well, amongst their weapons is surprise. But look at us now, sitting around talking about him like he’s still here. And by the way, he isn’t here anymore—he’s long gone. He became a street free agent roughly a month ago and he may well retire again soon.
Because, as you may recall, the Steelers pulled him out of retirement. Signed to a two-year, $16 million contract in 2022, Pittsburgh released him last offseason. He eventually signed with the Philadelphia Eagles only to retire two weeks later. He co-owns a minor league hockey team and is serious about that enterprise.
But he still played pretty decent ball for a man coming off the couch. He didn’t play great by any means, at least not consistently from snap to snap. But he deserves a lot of credit for stepping up and keeping the defense afloat when they needed him.
After injuries to Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander, and Elandon Roberts banged up, the Steelers needed bodies at inside linebacker. Once they got him into football shape they started playing him over Mykal Walker and Blake Martinez.
But he played each of his four games—including the playoff game—as an elevation off the practice squad. He never belonged to the 53-man roster, which is why he never qualified as a compensatory free agent. Will he ever play another down of football?
