After acquiring WR Mike Williams and EDGE Preston Smith via trade Thursday, the Pittsburgh Steelers are waiving TE Rodney Williams, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Coming into Tuesday’s trade deadline, the Steelers’ 53-man roster sat at 52 players. The acquisitions of Williams and Smith put them at 54, meaning a corresponding move was needed. Though the acquisition of Smith is not official — the Steelers announced Mike Williams’ acquisition — the Steelers are reportedly waiving TE Rodney Williams, clearing a roster spot.
Prior to waiving Williams, the Steelers were carrying five tight ends on the roster, including Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, MyCole Pruitt, Connor Heyward and Williams.
Williams was signed to the Steelers’ 53-man roster in mid-September after spending the first week on the practice squad. Since then, he’s played just five offensive snaps, but has been invaluable on special teams, logging 105 snaps on special teams this season.
Williams had the key block on Calvin Austin III’s 73-yard punt return touchdown in Week 8 on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants.
Previously, Williams joined the Steelers’ practice squad ahead of the 2022 season and then stuck with Pittsburgh throughout training camp before being cut as part of final roster cuts that summer. He stuck with Pittsburgh throughout the offseason in 2023 before being cut but then was given his chance during the season, becoming a key special teams piece under coordinator Danny Smith.
He just missed out on recovering a punt block for a touchdown last season against Baltimore at Acrisure Stadium. Though it went for only a safety, it helped change the game in the Steelers’ 17-10 win.
Though he didn’t initially make the 53-man roster this summer, even after playing 189 special teams snaps in 2023, Williams bided his time on special teams again and then made the most of his opportunity, landing the block that sprang Austin for the game-changing score.
We’ll see if Williams circles back to the practice squad again with the Steelers after being waived. He’s now appeared in 19 NFL games and has played 60 career snaps on offense and 294 snaps on special teams, proving his worth in the NFL.
