Veteran linebacker Tyler Matakevich is back with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers announced the signing of the veteran special teams standout to a one-year contract Wednesday afternoon, reuniting with the former seventh-round pick in 2016 out of Temple. In a corresponding roster move, the Steelers released veteran safety Jalen Elliott.
We have signed LB Tyler Matakevich to a one-year contract. @BordasLaw
📝: https://t.co/v8kd1aYTPP pic.twitter.com/9lPWezNUWa
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) July 17, 2024
Financial terms of the deal were not announced with the signing, but as Dave Bryan points out on Twitter, it is likely a veteran benefit deal, meaning $1.21 million for the 2024 season.
This one-year contract for Tyler Matakevich is likely a veteran benefit deal that totals out at $1.21 million. Likely no signing bonus, but we will see. Likely cap charge, $985,000, pending any signing bonus. #Steelers #NFL
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) July 17, 2024
Matakevich spent the first four seasons of his career in Pittsburgh from 2016-19, holding down a key special teams role with the Steelers. The former Nagurski and Bednarik Award winner at Temple in 2015 played 1,208 snaps on special teams in his four seasons with the Steelers before departing for Buffalo as a free agent after the 2019 season.
In Buffalo, Matakevich became a special teams captain under head coach Sean McDermott, playing 1,356 special teams snaps in the last four seasons before becoming a free agent.
The move is a bit of a surprise, as the Steelers were already very deep at inside linebacker. Still, the addition of Matakevich shores up the special teams under coordinator Danny Smith. The move gives Smith a familiar, dependable piece to work with, one who is a tackling machine on special teams. Matakevich has held down the captaincy on special teams in Buffalo for three of the last four seasons.
“Dirty Red” will compete for a roster spot with the Steelers entering his age 32 season. He is looking to grab hold of a special teams role for the Steelers as the league implements the new kickoff return roles, making it a more exciting, challenging play.
Elliott, on the other hand, is back on the open market. The Steelers have cut ties with him for a third time, this time one week before training camp.
Elliott previously spent time with the Steelers last summer training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe and was on and off the practice squad roster during the 2023 season. He was released on Nov. 28 when the Steelers signed current wide receiver Jacob Copeland to the practice squad. He was then re-signed to the squad on December 19, making it through the season and earning a Reserve/Futures deal in the offseason.
The veteran safety is the second player at the position released in the last month. Veteran Trenton Thompson was waived on June 19, allowing him to catch on with another team.
UPDATE (10:35 PM): Matakevich announced signing with the Steelers on his Instagram page, writing he’s “excited to be back where it all started.”
