UPDATE (1:16 p.m.) The team has confirmed the signing of Gathings to a one-year contract.
We have signed TE Izaiah Gathings to a one-year contract. @BordasLaw https://t.co/E2esYCAbaP
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 29, 2024
The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding another tight end to the roster under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the Steelers are signing tight end Izaiah Gathings after a tryout Wednesday morning.
#Steelers signing former #Chiefs tight end Izaiah Gathings today following a successful tryout, per a league source @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 29, 2024
Gathings was a wide receiver at Middle Tennessee State in 2021 and 2022 before going undrafted in 2023. He signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent before landing with the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of training camp. The Chiefs cut him before the start of the season andsigned him to the practice squad in December.
The Chiefs later signed him to a Reserve/Futures contract before he was waived on May 4.
Gathings measured in at 6031, 233 pounds coming out of Middle Tennessee State with an 80 1/8-inch wingspan. He clocked a 4.67 40-yard dash and had a 36-inch vertical jump.
In Middle Tennessee State career, Gathings hauled in 84 passes for 861 yards and three touchdowns, including 60 receptions for 559 yards and two touchdowns in his final season in 2022 and an 11-reception, 92-yard output in 2022 against Colorado State.
Izaiah Gathings breaks a tackle and gives the Blue Raiders 6 more!@MT_FB leads 17-10.
📺 > @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/9yimW2HQaU
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) October 22, 2021
During the preseason in 2023 with the Chiefs, Gathings played 32 snaps, grading out at a 54.7 overall from Pro Football Focus, including a 69.6 as a pass blocker and a 60.4 as a run blocker. He had two targets, hauling in one pass for 5 yards in a 33-32 win over the Cleveland Browns in the preseason finale.
Here is that 5-yard catch against the Browns.
Gathings joins a Steelers roster that is very deep at tight end under coordinator Arthur Smith. Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward, Rodney Williams and MyCole Pruitt were already on the roster at the position prior to the Gathings signing.
