Veteran DT Breiden Fehoko might be retired right now if the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t come calling. Speaking to reporters over the weekend about signing, he said he fielded calls from other teams. Until the 412 popped up on his phone, though, he was content to just live his life and appreciate fatherhood.
“I’ll never be shy about it. This place has treated me well. They welcomed me with open arms every time I’ve signed back,” Fehoko said via the Steelers’ YouTube channel. Despite never having played a snap for the Steelers, he has spent parts of the past three seasons here.
Breiden Fehoko first signed with the Steelers in March of 2023 as a free agent. He spent time on the 53-man roster and practice squad for almost the entire season. Last year, he went down and landed on the Reserve/Injured List, and shortly after was waived with an injury settlement. He did re-sign to the practice squad by October, however. He remained unsigned since the end of last season.
But now he’s back with the Steelers, and Fehoko couldn’t be happier to be “home” again, as he put it.
“It’s great, and it’s something I want to be a part of, and it’s the only reason I got up off the couch to come back and play for the Steelers,” he said.
Fehoko entertained other offers back in 2023 before signing with the Steelers. He believes Pittsburgh fits the culture that best suits his game. But more importantly, the Steelers called him up because they actually had a need. He sees an opportunity in front of him, and without that, he might as well be on the couch.
“Honestly, I was enjoying being a dad. I was enjoying being home, considering retiring,” Fehoko admitted. “Because at this point in my career, I feel like I’ve done it all. But I was fielding calls more throughout the summer and more towards the fall when late July started to roll around, I got this new sense of motivation.”
“Finally, Pittsburgh called, and I was like, ‘You know what? Maybe I’ll go give it another run.’”
Undrafted out of LSU in 2022, Fehoko spent his first three seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. He logged 19 games during that time, playing 420 snaps and registering 36 tackles. But he never played a single snap for the Steelers, despite spending a couple months on the 53-man roster.
With injuries to defensive tackles, Fehoko sees an opportunity, trusting the Steelers called him for a reason. They know him and they know his game, having worked with him for two years now. That still doesn’t mean there will be a spot for him, at least on the 53-man roster. But for a shot at another year with the Steelers, he chose to take that chance.
