Introduction
NFL teams established their initial 53-man rosters and practice squads just days ago. Teams will continue to add and subtract from their rosters but here is a snapshot just before week one of the 2024 regular season.
This time last season, I found 31 former Steelers on active rosters. Teams tucked away seven more on practice squads and placed 3 on a reserve list. During the season, several more former Steelers signed with teams such as Martavis Bryant and Terrell Edmunds. So, this initial list will have changes throughout the season. This does not count players who appeared on preseason 90-man rosters. Just 53-man rosters, practice squads and reserve lists after final cutdowns.
Ross McCorkle posted every former Steeler released around the NFL on 2024 Cutdown Day last week. Some of those listed are already with new teams. For example, John Leglue is back on the Steelers practice squad after Atlanta released him.
This year, I found 30 former Steelers on other team’s current 53-man rosters. Seven former Steelers show up on practice squads and four on injured reserve. Stayed at about 41 former Steelers on other teams this season. A few more will be added with free agent signings during the season.
Ex-Steelers Around the NFL
Here are the former Steelers appearing on active rosters, reserve lists and practice squads near the start of the 2024 season:
| TEAM | POSITION | NAME | LIST |
| AFC EAST | |||
| Buffalo Bills | QB | Mitch Trubisky | 53-Man Roster |
| Miami Dolphins | NONE | ||
| New England Patriots | OT | Chukwuma Okorafor | 53-Man Roster |
| New England Patriots | DT | Armon Watts | Injured Reserve |
| New York Jets | NONE | ||
| AFC NORTH | |||
| Baltimore Ravens | CB | Arthur Maulet | Injured Reserve |
| Baltimore Ravens | WR | Anthony Miller | Practice Squad |
| Cincinnati Bengals | CB | Mike Hilton | 53-Man Roster |
| Cleveland Browns | LB | Devin Bush | 53-Man Roster |
| AFC SOUTH | |||
| Houston Texans | WR | Steven Sims | 53-Man Roster |
| Houston Texans | C | Kendrick Green | 53-Man Roster |
| Houston Texans | DT | Khalil Davis | 53-Man Roster |
| Indianapolis Colts | NONE | ||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | S | Terrell Edmunds | Practice Squad |
| Tennessee Titans | QB | Mason Rudolph | 53-Man Roster |
| Tennessee Titans | TE | Nick Vannett | 53-Man Roster |
| AFC WEST | |||
| Denver Broncos | S | P.J. Locke | 53-Man Roster |
| Denver Broncos | CB | Levi Wallace | 53-Man Roster |
| Kansas City Chiefs | WR | JuJu Smith-Schuster | 53-Man Roster |
| Las Vegas Raiders | LB | Robert Spillane | 53-Man Roster |
| Los Angeles Chargers | OLB | Bud Dupree | 53-Man Roster |
| NFC EAST | |||
| Dallas Cowboys | LB | Buddy Johnson | 53-Man Roster |
| Dallas Cowboys | CB | C.J. Goodwin | 53-Man Roster |
| New York Giants | WR | Gunner Olszewski | 53-Man Roster |
| New York Giants | WR | Miles Boykin | Practice Squad |
| New York Giants | S | Elijah Riley | Injured Reserve |
| Philadelphia Eagles | G | Fred Johnson | 53-Man Roster |
| Philadelphia Eagles | QB | Kenny Pickett | 53-Man Roster |
| Washington Commanders | OLB | Mykal Walker | 53-Man Roster |
| Washington Commanders | OL | Trent Scott | 53-Man Roster |
| NFC NORTH | |||
| Chicago Bears | NONE | ||
| Detroit Lions | WR | Allen Robinson | Practice Squad |
| Green Bay Packers | NONE | ||
| Minnesota Vikings | NONE | ||
| NFC SOUTH | |||
| Atlanta Falcons | WR | Ray-Ray McCloud | 53-Man Roster |
| Carolina Panthers | WR | Diontae Johnson | 53-Man Roster |
| Carolina Panthers | WR | Deon Cain | Practice Squad |
| New Orleans Saints | TE | Kevin Rader | Injured Reserve |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | T | Brandon Walton | 53-Man Roster |
| NFC WEST | |||
| Arizona Cardinals | T | Kelvin Beachum | 53-Man Roster |
| Arizona Cardinals | RB | James Conner | 53-Man Roster |
| Los Angeles Rams | G | Kevin Dotson | 53-Man Roster |
| San Francisco 49ers | QB | Josh Dobbs | 53-Man Roster |
| San Francisco 49ers | DT | Javon Hargrave | 53-Man Roster |
| Seattle Seahawks | CB | Ahkello Witherspoon | 53-Man Roster |
| Seattle Seahawks | CB | Artie Burns | Practice Squad |
| Seattle Seahawks | WR | Cody White | Practice Squad |
NOTE: Only former Steelers who appeared on Steelers 53-man roster or practice squad included. For example, John Rhys Plumlee is not listed since he only was on a Steelers 90-man roster.
Former Steelers Out in the Cold
Here are 27 former Steelers that appeared on NFL rosters other than the Steelers last season but are currently not with a team:
| LAST TEAM 2023 | POSITION | NAME | Status | LAST TRANSACTION OR NEWS |
| Atlanta Falcons | DT | Carlos Davis | Free Agent | Bengals Released 8/27/2024 |
| Atlanta Falcons | WR | James Washington | Free Agent | Released 8/18/2024 |
| Baltimore Ravens | OLB | Quincy Roche | Free Agent | Waived injured 8/13/2024 |
| Buffalo Bills | DB | Tre Norwood | Free Agent | Released 12/30/2023 |
| Carolina Panthers | DE | Chris Wormley | Free Agent | Not re-signed for 2024 |
| Detroit Lions | DE | Tyson Alualu | Free Agent | Not re-signed for 2024 |
| Detroit Lions | DT | Isaiah Buggs | Free Agent | Chiefs released 6/24/2024 |
| Houston Texans | CB | Desmond King | Free Agent | Released 8/27/2024 |
| Houston Texans | DB | Steven Nelson | Retired | Retired 6/9/2024 |
| Indianapolis Colts | RB | Jason Huntley | Free Agent | Released 9/12/2023 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | DE | Henry Mondeaux | Free Agent | JAX signs to PS 23 Oct 2023 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | QB | Chris Oladokun | Free Agent | Waived 8/27/2024 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | QB | Brian Hoyer | Free Agent | Released 3/13/2024 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | TE | Jesse James | Free Agent | Released 11/21/2023 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | TE | Zach Gentry | Free Agent | Released 8/27/2024 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | DE | Nick Williams | Free Agent | 49ers released 8/27/2024 |
| Miami Dolphins | LB | Malik Reed | Free Agent | Contract expired 1/22/2024 |
| Miami Dolphins | OLB | Melvin Ingram | Free Agent | Promoted to 53 1/10/24 |
| Miami Dolphins | WR | Chase Claypool | Free Agent | Bills Waived injured 8/15/2024 |
| New England Patriots | K/P | Corliss Waitman | Free Agent | Bears waived 8/27/2024 |
| New York Giants | C | JC Hassenauer | Free Agent | Commanders released 8/23/2024 |
| New York Giants | K | Randy Bullock | Free Agent | Injured Reserve 12/21/2023 |
| New York Jets | DT | Al Woods | Free Agent | Placed on IR 10/31/2023 |
| San Francisco 49ers | K | Matthew Wright | Free Agent | Steelers waived 8/26/2024 |
| San Francisco 49ers | OT | Jesse Davis | Free Agent | Saints released 8/27/2024 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | G | Matt Feiler | Free Agent | Not re-signed for 2024 |
| Tennessee Titans | T | Chris Hubbard | Free Agent | 49ers released 8/27/2024 |
2023 Steelers Out of NFL
Finally, here are 18 former Steelers that appeared on Pittsburgh’s 2023 regular season roster but are not currently on another team’s roster:
| LAST 2023 TEAM | POSITION | NAME | Status | LAST TRANSACTION OR NEWS |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | C | Mason Cole | Free Agent | Released 2/23/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | CB | Chandon Sullivan | Free Agent | Contract expired 1/22/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | DB | James Pierre | Free Agent | Commanders released 8/27/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | DB | Patrick Peterson | Free Agent | Released 3/8/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | DB | Tariq Carpenter | Free Agent | Released 12/17/2023 following arrest |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | LB | Blake Martinez | Free Agent | Contract expired 1/22/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | LB | Kwon Alexander | Free Agent | IR 12/14/2023 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | LB | Kyron Johnson | Free Agent | Released 8/27/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | LB | Myles Jack | Free Agent | Contract expired 1/22/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | OLB | Markus Golden | Retired | Retired 8/9/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | P | Brad Wing | Free Agent | Contract expired 1/22/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | P | Pressley Harvin III | Free Agent | 49ers waived 8/26/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | RB | Anthony McFarland Jr | Free Agent | Dolphins released 8/27/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | RB | Godwin Igwebuike | Free Agent | Not re-signed for 2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | RB | Qadree Ollison | Free Agent | Released 12/11/2023 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | S | Eric Rowe | Free Agent | Contract expired 1/22/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | S | Trenton Thompson | Free Agent | Waived 6/19/2024 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | WR | Dez Fitzpatrick | Free Agent | Waived 8/27/2024 |
Conclusion
There really is not a single team with a lot of former Steelers on their roster like in previous seasons. This season, two teams have three players on their 53-man roster or practice squad: Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks. For this exercise, I am defining former Steelers as those who have appeared on 53-man rosters or practice squads. I also include players drafted by the Steelers but who never did make the regular season squad (e.g., Chris Oladokun)
Just six NFL teams do not have a former Steeler on one of their rosters (active, practice squad, or reserve list). Down from nine in 2022. As of September 1, 2023, 41 former Steelers appear on teams around the NFL.
Rosters are fluid especially at the start of season. So, expect these snapshot lists to change shape as the season progresses. Let me know who I missed in the comments.
Your Song Selection
I always like to include a bit of music. Steelers fans loved some of these players. Others not so much. But once a player wears the Black and Gold, they are always a Steeler in my mind. Here is Where Did Our Love Go performed by the Supremes.
