Pittsburgh Steelers Reach Agreement with Safety Shilo Sanders, Subject to Medical Evaluation Amid Personal Drama
The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding intrigue to their practice squad plans, reaching an agreement with safety Shilo Sanders. The deal remains subject to a medical evaluation before it can be made official, leaving his status uncertain.
Sanders, son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, brings both pedigree and baggage. Known for his ball-hawking instincts, he also carries a reputation for injuries and personal drama that have followed him throughout his career.
Undrafted in 2025, Sanders signed with Tampa Bay and appeared in three preseason games. His stint ended abruptly after an ejection against Buffalo for unnecessary roughness, prompting the Buccaneers to waive him on August 24.
Despite the setback, Pittsburgh sees potential value. Sanders collected 161 tackles, 11 interceptions, and six forced fumbles across 41 college games, with his 2023 season at Colorado highlighting his ability to create turnovers and lead a defense.
The Steelers’ secondary has dealt with depth concerns, and Sanders’ versatility offers a possible solution. He can rotate at safety, provide nickel coverage, and contribute on special teams — all traits valued in Pittsburgh’s defensive culture.
However, health remains the deciding factor. Sanders suffered an ACL tear in 2022 and missed time again in 2024 due to nagging injuries. Team doctors will determine whether his body can withstand NFL competition.
Layered over the medical risk is the personal drama surrounding Sanders. Legal battles, financial trouble, and family headlines have raised questions about his focus, but the Steelers have a history of managing strong personalities.
For Sanders, joining Pittsburgh would represent another opportunity to reset his NFL path. If he clears medical evaluation, he could find a stable environment to prove he belongs in the league despite the noise around him.
Former 3rd Round Pick Named Chiefs’ ‘Most Surprising’ Roster Cut
The Kansas City Chiefs had to make the tough decision to whittle their roster down to 53 players earlier this week, and not all the cuts that occurred were clear and foreseeable to keen-eyed observers.
Breaking from standard practice, the team is currently only carrying 3 safeties on their active roster; 2024 fourth round pick, Jaden Hicks; 2022 second rounder, Bryan Cook; and 2023 fourth rounder, Chamarri Conner, with Mike Edwards the odd-man-out in the position group
And Jesse Newell of The Athletic believed that this was fairly unexpected and called it the Chiefs’ biggest surprise cutdown.
Mike Edwards Cut From Chiefs Roster ‘Suprising’
Newell believed that the coaching staff’s previously stated admiration for Edwards, along with his connection to the senior defensive assistant through his college days, makes him a borderline shocking omission from the final roster.
“Edwards, a seventh-year safety, has a lot of supporters in the Chiefs’ offices.” Newell wrote on Sunday, “That includes defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — he has shared his admiration for Edwards’ ball-hawking abilities — and also senior defensive assistant Matt House, who was Edwards’ defensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky. Knowing all that, it was surprising the Chiefs cut the 29-year-old Edwards.
The Athletic’s Chiefs writer expressed that one of the core reasons behind this comes their belief in and desire to build up younger, versatile talents in the unit.
“That doesn’t mean Edwards won’t eventually be back on Kansas City’s practice squad, but the move still seems to signal the Chiefs have confidence in some younger players at safety, including cornerback/safety hybrids Chamarri Conner and Chris Roland-Wallace.”
What Do The Chiefs Look Like At Safety?
Bryan Cook is already a fairly established starter, whilst Jaden Hicks will look to take over the second safety position vacated by Justin Reid, who left for the New Orleans Saints in free agency back in March.
And whilst Kansas City are in a unique spot in that they only have three listed safeties on the roster, they do another player in nickel back, Chris Roland Wallace, who can cover at the position.
The team also have, in emergency situations, All-Pro Trent McDuffie, who is also capable at playing some snaps in that same role; a role that many thought he could ultimately end up playing in the pros when he came out of Washington in 2022.
Edwards is certainly a competent, experienced player at the position, and back in 2023 he started five games for the team and played a role in all 17.
But now entering his age-29 season, Edwards is not getting any younger, and it is not shocking that the Chiefs’ defensive coaches, who have cultivated an excellent secondary year-in, year-out, out of mid-round picks on rookie contracts, have gone with their rising talents over veteran entering his seventh year in the NFL.
