NFL teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers established their initial 53-man rosters and practice squads in late August. Teams will continue to add and subtract from their rosters, but here is a snapshot just before Week 1 of the 2025 regular season.
This time last season, I found 30 [former Steelers on active rosters](https://steelersdepot.com/2024/08/perspective-of-an-average-steelers-fan-former-steelers-around-the-nfl-2024-edition/). Teams tucked away seven more on practice squads and placed four on a reserve list. During the season, several more former Steelers signed with teams such as Artie Burns and Darius Rush. So, this initial list will have changes throughout the season. This does not count players who appeared only on offseason 90-man rosters. Just 53-man rosters, practice squads and reserve lists after final cutdowns.
This year, I found 33 former Steelers on other teams’ current 53-man rosters. Fourteen former Steelers show up on practice squads and two on injured reserve. 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 2025 season:
_NOTE:_ Only former Steelers who appeared on Steelers’ 53-man roster or practice squad are included.
**TEAM**
**POSITION**
**NAME**
**LIST**
**AFC EAST**
Buffalo Bills
QB
Mitch Trubisky
53-Man Roster
Buffalo Bills
C
Kendrick Green
Practice Squad
Buffalo Bills
DT
Larry Ogunjobi
Suspended
Miami Dolphins
G
James Daniels
53-Man Roster
Miami Dolphins
S
Minkah Fitzpatrick
53-Man Roster
Miami Dolphins
CB
Artie Burns
Injured Reserve
New England Patriots
QB
Josh Dobbs
53-Man Roster
New England Patriots
LB
Robert Spillane
53-Man Roster
New England Patriots
LB
Mark Robinson
Practice Squad
New York Jets
QB
Justin Fields
53-Man Roster
New York Jets
OT
Chukwuma Okorafor
53-Man Roster
New York Jets
OLB
Mykal Walker
Practice Squad
**AFC NORTH**
Baltimore Ravens
WR
Anthony Miller
Practice Squad
Baltimore Ravens
CB
Thomas Graham
Practice Squad
Cincinnati Bengals
**NONE**
Cleveland Browns
LB
Devin Bush
53-Man Roster
Cleveland Browns
S
Damontae Kazee
53-Man Roster
**AFC SOUTH**
Houston Texans
**NONE**
Indianapolis Colts
**NONE**
Jacksonville Jaguars
**NONE**
Tennessee Titans
WR
Van Jefferson
53-Man Roster
Tennessee Titans
OT
Dan Moore Jr.
53-Man Roster
**AFC WEST**
Denver Broncos
S
P.J. Locke
53-Man Roster
Kansas City Chiefs
WR
JuJu Smith-Schuster
53-Man Roster
Kansas City Chiefs
QB
Chris Oladokun
Practice Squad
Las Vegas Raiders
QB
Kenny Pickett
53-Man Roster
Las Vegas Raiders
LB
Elandon Roberts
53-Man Roster
Las Vegas Raiders
S
Terrell Edmunds
Practice Squad
Los Angeles Chargers
RB
Najee Harris
53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Chargers
OLB
Bud Dupree
53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Chargers
CB
Donte Jackson
53-Man Roster
**NFC EAST**
Dallas Cowboys
WR
George Pickens
53-Man Roster
Dallas Cowboys
CB
C.J. Goodwin
53-Man Roster
Dallas Cowboys
LB
Buddy Johnson
Practice Squad
New York Giants
QB
Russell Wilson
53-Man Roster
New York Giants
WR
Gunner Olszewski
53-Man Roster
Philadelphia Eagles
G
Fred Johnson
53-Man Roster
Washington Commanders
OL
Trent Scott
53-Man Roster
Washington Commanders
CB
Darius Rush
Practice Squad
**NFC NORTH**
Chicago Bears
WR
Miles Boykin
Practice Squad
Green Bay Packers
**NONE**
Detroit Lions
QB
Kyle Allen
53-Man Roster
Minnesota Vikings
DT
Javon Hargrave
53-Man Roster
Minnesota Vikings
TE
Nick Vannett
Practice Squad
**NFC SOUTH**
Atlanta Falcons
WR
Ray-Ray McCloud
53-Man Roster
Atlanta Falcons
WR
Jamal Agnew
53-Man Roster
Atlanta Falcons
CB
C.J. Henderson
Practice Squad
Carolina Panthers
T
Brandon Walton
Practice Squad
New Orleans Saints
LB
Eku Leota
Practice Squad
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
**NONE**
**NFC WEST**
Arizona Cardinals
RB
James Conner
53-Man Roster
Arizona Cardinals
T
Kelvin Beachum
53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Rams
G
Kevin Dotson
53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Rams
CB
Ahkello Witherspoon
53-Man Roster
San Francisco 49ers
**NONE**
Seattle Seahawks
WR
Cody White
53-Man Roster
### Former Steelers Out in the Cold
Here are 18 former Steelers who appeared on NFL rosters other than the Steelers’ last season but are currently not with a team:
**LAST TEAM 2024**
**POSITION**
**NAME**
**Status**
**LAST TRANSACTION OR NEWS**
Baltimore Ravens
DE
Chris Wormley
Free Agent
Baltimore Ravens
CB
Desmond King
Free Agent
Texans Released 8/26/2025
Baltimore Ravens
CB
Arthur Maulet
Free Agent
Seahawks Released 8/27/2025
Baltimore Ravens
WR
Steven Sims
Free Agent
Bills Released 8/26/2025
Buffalo Bills
WR
Deon Cain
Free Agent
Dolphins Released 8/25/2025
Cincinnati Bengals
CB
Mike Hilton
Free Agent
Jaguars Waived/Injured 8/13/2025
Denver Broncos
CB
Levi Wallace
Free Agent
Detroit Lions
DT
Isaiah Buggs
Suspended
Unsigned in 2025
Detroit Lions
WR
Allen Robinson II
Free Agent
Released 1/28/2025
Detroit Lions
LB
Kwon Alexander
Free Agent
Browns released 8/26/2025
Houston Texans
WR
Diontae Johnson
Free Agent
Released 8/21/2025
Los Angeles Chargers
WR
Dez Fitzpatrick
Free Agent
Waived/Injured /2/2024
New Orleans Saints
TE
Kevin Rader
Free Agent
New York Giants
T
Chris Hubbard
Free Agent
Placed on IR 1/3/2025
New York Giants
DT
Armon Watts
Free Agent
Texans Traded to 49ers 11/5/2024
San Francisco 49ers
DT
Khalil Davis
Free Agent
Tennessee Titans
K
Matthew Wright
Free Agent
Waived/Injured 5/13/2025
Tennessee Titans
LB
Kyron Johnson
Free Agent
### 2023 and 2024 Steelers Out of NFL
Finally, here are 27 former Steelers who appeared on Pittsburgh’s 2023 or 2024 regular-season roster or practice squad but are not currently on another team’s roster:
**LAST 2024 TEAM**
**POSITION**
**NAME**
**Status**
**LAST TRANSACTION OR NEWS**
Pittsburgh Steelers
S
Eric Rowe
Free Agent
Signed to Steelers’ PS 11/19/2024
Pittsburgh Steelers
S
Jalen Elliott
UFL
UFL San Antonio October 2024
Pittsburgh Steelers
DB
Cam Sutton
Free Agent
Elected Free Agency 3/12/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
LB
Tyler Matakevich
Free Agent
Elected Free Agency 3/12/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
DL
Montravius Adams
Free Agent
Steelers released 4/28/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
TE
Rodney Williams
Free Agent
Steelers waived 11/5/2024
Pittsburgh Steelers
OL
Nate Herbig
Retired
Retired 7/29/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
S
Keanu Neal
Retired
Retired 2/23/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
TE
MyCole Pruitt
Free Agent
Elected Free Agency 3/12/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
RB
Cordarrelle Patterson
Free Agent
Steelers Released 7/28/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
LB
Jeremiah Moon
Free Agent
Steelers Released 8/1/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
G
John Leglue
Free Agent
Rams Waived 8/24/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
WR
Mike Williams
Retired
Retired 7/17/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
LB
Preston Smith
Free Agent
Steelers released 2/15/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
RB
Jonathan Ward
Free Agent
Giants Waived 8/26/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
OLB
Ade Ogundeji
Free Agent
Steelers Released 12/17/2024
Pittsburgh Steelers
RB
Aaron Shampklin
Free Agent
Dolphins Released 8/25/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
WR
Brandon Johnson
Free Agent
Steelers Released 8/26/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
P
Cameron Johnston
Free Agent
Steelers Released 8/25/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
DL
Breiden Fehoko
Free Agent
Steelers Released 8/18/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
LB
Devin Harper
Free Agent
Steelers Released 8/20/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
OL
Doug Nester
Free Agent
Steelers Released 8/22/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
TE
Matt Sokol
Free Agent
Bills Released 8/24/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
WR
Quez Watkins
Free Agent
Cards Released/Injured 8/2/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
CB
Anthony Averett
Free Agent
Texans Released 3/17/2025
Pittsburgh Steelers
CB
Zyon Gilbert
Free Agent
Pittsburgh Steelers
LB
David Perales
Free Agent
Steelers Waived/Injured 12/17/2024
### Conclusion
There is really not a single team with a lot of former Steelers on its roster like in previous seasons. Five teams have three former Steelers on their 53-man roster or practice squad. Former Steelers LB and first-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has three, including two linebackers. The New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys are the other teams. 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 made 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 Sept. 4, 49 former Steelers appear on teams around the NFL. An increase of eight players overall, with a notable jump in practice squad players (7 to 14), suggesting more former Steelers are being retained as depth options.
Rosters are fluid, especially at the start of season. So, expect these snapshot lists to change 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. We still miss you. But will appreciate those that are here all the same. Here is Miss You performed by **the Rolling Stones**.