The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran S Eric Rowe, adding him to their practice squad. Rowe returns to the team after being signed nearly a year ago and playing a key role down the stretch as Pittsburgh made a playoff push.
The Steelers didn’t have to make a corresponding move. They had an open practice squad spot after signing RB Jonathan Ward prior to Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Shortly after the team’s announcement, Rowe shared his reaction on Twitter/X.
Rowe, 32, started four games for the Steelers in 2023, including the AFC Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills. Brought onboard due to the team’s multiple injuries at safety and Damontae Kazee’s regular-season suspension, he became an immediate and valuable piece to the secondary. In three regular-season contests, Rowe recorded 29 tackles, forced one fumble, and intercepted one pass. His pick came in his first start, intercepting Cincinnati Bengals QB Jake Browning in a 34-10 Steelers victory.
He recorded eight tackles and one pass breakup in the playoff game against Buffalo.
Eric Rowe was originally signed on Nov. 20, 2023, also first added to the team’s practice squad. Meaning, he’s brought back 364 days after initially getting the call.
A free agent after the Steelers’ 2023 season, he had yet to sign anywhere in 2024. Pittsburgh brought Rowe in for a workout earlier this month but didn’t immediately sign him. He’ll serve as quality safety depth on the team’s practice squad. While the Steelers don’t have any known injuries at the position, their depth took a hit after releasing Terrell Edmunds earlier this month. It appears they’re choosing to sign Rowe rather than add Edmunds back to their practice squad.
A second-round pick in 2015 out of Utah, Rowe entered the league as a cornerback before transitioning to safety. He’s appeared in 103 career regular-season games, starting 59 of them, and making 410 tackles with seven forced fumbles and six interceptions. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, winning a pair of rings as a member of the New England Patriots.
