A recently retired Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver is back in the NFL. Lance McCutcheon, who announced he was giving up football earlier this offseason, is signing a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Former #Steelers and #Titans WR Lance McCutcheon, who had announced his retirement earlier this offseason, had second thoughts and is now signing a 1-year deal with Tennessee, sources say.
An intriguing resolution for the 27-year old and a new opportunity. pic.twitter.com/HNuK4apJIz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 1, 2026
McCutcheon initially retired in early March, sharing a message to his social media pages. The Instagram post that noted his retirement has now been deleted.
Initially signed by Pittsburgh to its practice squad during the 2024 season, McCutcheon signed a Reserve/Futures contract during the 2025 offseason. The Steelers carried him throughout training camp, but he failed to make the team. Our camp grades noted his quiet summer showing.
“A camp sleeper is always a dart throw, and expectations should never be set too high for potential candidates. But McCutcheon felt a little disappointing. For a guy with NFL experience who has made a 53-man roster before, McCutcheon was quiet throughout much of camp. He posted similar numbers to other wideouts, 14 grabs on 20 targets, but nothing felt noteworthy. It was inoffensive, and I can’t recall any ugly reps, but he blended into the crowd of the receiver room. His game action has been even less eventful, with just two receptions. A third target was contested to the point of possible pass interference but resulted in an interception.”
Undrafted out of Montana State in 2022, McCutcheon made the Los Angeles Rams’ 53-man roster. He appeared in 10 games, primarily playing on special teams, and failed to catch a pass. Released in 2023, he spent time with the Houston Texans and New York Jets before making his way to Pittsburgh. After being cut by the Steelers, he signed with the Titans’ practice squad.
Now, he’ll attempt to stick in Tennessee under first-year head coach Robert Saleh. The Titans are overhauling their roster and had a weak wide receiver room last season, giving McCutcheon a chance to make the team. Still, he’ll have to outlast plenty of competition and beat the odds. McCutcheon is still looking for his first NFL regular-season reception with the door swung open for him to achieve that feat.
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