Veteran defensive back Eric Rowe is officially back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rowe let everyone know himself on social media.
“I’m back!!” Rowe wrote on X (formerly Twitter) roughly 15 minutes after the Steelers announced the signing.
The Steelers officially signed Rowe to their practice squad on November 19. He will fill the vacant spot on the squad. The Steelers had an open practice squad position because they signed running back Jonathan Ward to the active roster on November 16.
Rowe spent the end of last season with the Steelers. Actually, the team signed him to their practice nearly a year ago to the day.
The 32-year-old defensive back first joined the Steelers practice squad on November 20, 2023. He made his first appearance with the team on December 23 during Week 16 versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers elevated Rowe from the practice squad to the active roster for the final three regular season games of 2023. He started all three contests and played a significant role. He posted 29 combined tackles, including 1 tackle for loss, 2 pass defenses, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble.
Rowe also played in Pittsburgh’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in January.
He won the Super Bowl as a member of the New England Patriots after the 2016 and 2018 NFL seasons.
Steelers Bring Back DB Eric Rowe on Practice Squad
Rowe began his career as a second-round pick for the Philadelphia Eagles. But after just one season, the Eagles traded him to New England.
With the Patriots, Rowe became a regular contributor on a roster that won three straight AFC Championships. Ironically, the only season when the Patriots didn’t win the Super Bowl with Rowe on the roster, they lost to the Eagles in the big game.
Over three seasons with the Patriots, Rowe started 12 of his 21 regular season contests. He posted 51 combined tackles with 11 pass defenses and 1 interception.
Rowe then joined the Miami Dolphins in 2019. He played four seasons with Miami, starting 39 games.
At the beginning of the 2023 season, Rowe spent about a month on the Carolina Panthers practice squad. He had been a free agent for roughly two months when the Steelers signed him last November.
Rowe has appeared in 103 regular season NFL games, starting 59 of them. He’s posted 410 combined tackles, 43 pass defenses and 6 interceptions.
Rowe a Perfect Insurance Policy for Steelers
Rowe spent less than half a season with the Steelers in 2023-24. But it was rather clear that he enjoyed playing for the organization.
He praised the Steelers organization multiple times to reporters during his tenure late last season.
“It’s pretty nice when you go to a team that historically has always been a stable program,” Rowe said on January 22, via Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh. “It’s been tough and physical. I’ve played the Steelers in the past multiple times, and it’s never easy.
“So, going to a program like this, you don’t get to pick where you play, but when they called me, I was like, “Dang, I get a chance to play for the Steelers.’”
Initially, Rowe seemed to be a short-term fix at safety for the Steelers because of injuries and a suspension. But Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters in his 2023 end-of-the-season press conference in January that Rowe could have a role with the organization during 2024.
That is finally coming to fruition. The Steelers aren’t desperate at safety like they were a year ago. But they appear to be adding Rowe as a veteran, versatile insurance policy. On top of that, he’s already had success in Pittsburgh’s defensive scheme.
The Steelers will likely be more than comfortable turning to Rowe if they need to during the stretch run this year.
