The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted linebacker and core special teamer Jon Rhattigan for a visit on Monday, per the NFL’s transactions sheet, six days before the team’s Week One opener against the New York Jets.
Undrafted in 2021 out of Army, Rhattigan appeared in 52 NFL games and notched 44 tackles. Nearly all of his action has come on special teams, logging over 300 such snaps in 2023 and 2024. Last season with the Carolina Panthers, he recorded 12 tackles across 17 appearances.
Signed by the Seattle Seahawks out of college, Rhattigan spent three seasons with the team. His most productive season came in 2023, picking up 17 tackles (11 solo) with the first 19 defensive snaps of his NFL career. Seattle carried him through the summer of 2024 but cut him late in August, partly due to his relatively high base salary. Carolina claimed Rhattigan off waivers and rostered him the rest of the year and through 2025 before cutting him last month.
At his 2021 Pro Day, Rhattigan measured in at 6003, 236 pounds. He ran a 4.77 40-yard dash with a 32-inch vertical and put up 22 reps on the bench press. A one-year starter at Army, he broke out in 2020 with 78 tackles (nine for a loss), two interceptions, and 1.5 sacks. Both of his picks were returned a long way, including a 43-yard pick-six in the season opener against Middle Tennessee State.
Currently, the Steelers have only five inside linebackers in the organization: Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Malik Harrison, Cole Holcomb, and rookie Carson Bruener. Veteran Mark Robinson was cut and landed with the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh didn’t roster an inside linebacker on its 17-man practice squad.
Typically, the team carries at least six in total, so Rhattigan could soon round out the room, though a move may not be made until after Week One. The Steelers aren’t known to have any injuries at inside linebacker. However, Mike Tomlin’s Tuesday press conference and the team’s first injury report on Wednesday will shed more light on the team’s health situation.
