Steelers Release Popular Nose Tackle from IR

The Pittsburgh Steelers reached an injury settlement with veteran nose tackle Breiden Fehoko, according to the NFL transactions page. Fehoko is now off the Steelers’ injured reserve list and allowed to become a free agent. Fehoko may not sign back with the Steelers until the length of the injury settlement has concluded as well as an additional three weeks.

Fehoko suffered a shoulder injury during a practice earlier this month.

Since it’s in the early portion of the IR process, Fehoko could have been sidelined for the entire season. The Steelers would have had to designate him for a return before roster cut-down day. NFL teams are allowed to designate two players before roster cuts.

“Process! Be back soon!” Fehoko wrote on X after the Steelers placed him on IR.

The former LSU product and Hawaii native had high expectations for himself in 2024. Unfortunately, Fehoko might be unable to showcase his talents with the Steelers this season, or any team.

The Los Angeles Chargers signed Breiden Fehoko as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after he won a national championship at LSU with Joe Burrow and many other current NFL players.

Fehoko appeared in 19 career games for the Chargers over the course of his first three seasons in the NFL. In his career, Fehoko started four games and recorded 36 tackles and one tackle for loss.

Fehoko knew what it was like to sit back and learn from the sidelines as he did it during his first two seasons which led to a breakout in 2022.

“When I look back to my last year playing in 2022, and arguably my most productive year in the NFL, I think a big reason why I was able to play so well that year for the Chargers in the time being was because of [two reasons,]” Fehoko told Derrick Bell of Steelers Now. “One, I was physically ready from college, and two, the mental reps and mental capacity that I have been able to develop over time in the NFL.

“Even this past year, I know I didn’t get to play as much as I wanted or the role I wanted, but learning under coach (Karl) Dunbar and coach (Denzel) Martin and those guys, I already know my game just took a whole other step in a direction that I wanted it to go in.