Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jalen Elliott is changing jersey numbers, switching from No. 41 to No. 34. That’s according to Twitter/X jersey-number sleuther @nfl_jersey_num, who tweeted the news a short time ago.
Pittsburgh Steelers DB Jalen Elliott is wearing number 34. Last assigned to Chandon Sullivan. #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/TTf2eGaImz
— NFL Jersey Numbers (@nfl_jersey_num) May 20, 2024
Elliott most recently wore No. 41. But third-round rookie ILB Payton Wilson grabbed that number, and with two defensive players not allowed to wear the same digits, Elliott needed to make the switch.
It’s a change he’s used to making. Signed by the Steelers mid-way through training camp after several safety injuries, he wore No. 16 for the team throughout training camp. Elliott did not appear in a game with the team last season, spending it on the practice squad.
Undrafted out of Notre Dame, he’s appeared in eight career NFL games, making one start. All his regular season action came in 2021 with the Detroit Lions, logging 92 defensive snaps, 140 on special teams, and collecting 12 total tackles. Since then, he’s bounced around with the New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, and Steelers. Based on our camp evaluation last summer, Jalen Elliott is a limited athlete but a willing tackler. He’ll fight to stick on the team’s practice squad this summer.
As the above tweet notes, No. 34 was last worn by CB Chandon Sullivan, signed by the Steelers during the 2023 NFL Draft. He finished the year playing heavy slot snaps for Pittsburgh as Patrick Peterson shifted to a full-time safety role. Though a better zone corner and downhill defender, Sullivan gave the Steelers quality snaps down the stretch. He became a free agent in March and has yet to sign with a team.
The fact that the Steelers gave away his jersey number doesn’t close the door on Sullivan potentially returning, but it’s not an encouraging sign. Weak at slot corner, the team figures to add a veteran before training camp. Reuniting with Patrick Peterson or Cam Sutton seems possible.
