Cornerback Steven Nelson became one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ cap causalities in 2021, a COVID year where the salary cap contracted and teams across the league made tough decisions. Though Nelson rebounded and has continued his football career with the Houston Texans, he still carries a bit of a chip over being released by Pittsburgh.
In a short interview highlighting his new podcast The Corner Suite, Nelson remembered what happened in the lead-up to his release.
“Going to my last year, my cap number’s high,” Nelson said. “These motherfuckers felt the need to call me during the offseason, literally probably a day before free agency. [Mike Tomlin], he called me on some shit. ‘Hey Steve, I think upstairs, they’re looking to trade you.’ I’m like, ‘Man, get the fuck out of here. You don’t think. You know something.'”
Right before the start of the 2021 offseason, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted the Steelers had granted Nelson permission to seek a trade. In the moment, it appeared Nelson wanted out of Pittsburgh but to hear him tell it, news that was confirmed later that year, the Steelers were the team trying to ship him. It’s probable the team had allowed him to put together trade opportunities, but the source came from Pittsburgh, not Steven Nelson.
It’s not explicitly clear why Pittsburgh wanted to get rid of Nelson but his cap number coupled with the cap crunch were likely key factors. When a trade didn’t materialize, the Steelers released him in late March. In all, Nelson spent two years with the team, starting 30 games and intercepting three passes.
It took until July for him to agree to a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, inking a one-year deal and starting the entire season with them. He then made his way to Houston ahead of the 2022 season and has been a full-time starter the last two years.
He had a solid 2023 campaign, appearing in all 17 games and picking off four passes. In Houston’s Wild Card win over the Cleveland Browns, he pick-sixed QB Joe Flacco for an 82-yard score as the Texans ran away with the game in the second half.
Though things ultimately worked out for Nelson, he didn’t appreciate the Steelers making a last-second decision to part ways with him, hurting his chances of quickly finding his next team.
“This is a day before free agency,” he said. “I didn’t even like that because if y’all was thinking that, y’all should have gave me a chance to hit free agency on time.”
Perhaps that played a role into Nelson waiting until right before training camps opened to sign a deal with the Eagles. GM Omar Khan took a different approach this offseason (he was not the GM when Nelson was cut), releasing QB Mitch Trubisky and P Pressley Harvin III immediately following Super Bowl LVIII. OT Chukwuma Okorafor was officially released a week later, though announced at the same time as Trubisky and Harvin. Center Mason Cole was cut one week later. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Khan cited a desire to do the right thing as to why he made those moves so early, allowing those players a head start on their next NFL stops.
For Steven Nelson, he takes some glee in the perception that Pittsburgh still needs cornerback help.
“A good laugh at is like,” he said. “Ever since I left, they ain’t found a corner yet. They’re still searching. High and low, they’re searching for motherfuckers.”
But the Steelers have found their top corner. Joey Porter Jr. became the Steelers’ No. 1 cornerback during his rookie season and will enter 2024 in the same role. It’s fair to say there are big question marks who will start opposite of him and it’s likely the team will invest money or draft capital in the position this offseason. While Nelson’s gripe about how the Steelers handled him is fair, the idea they’re missing a top corner no longer applies.
Check out the clip below.
