How Markus Golden Stayed Ready for Second Steelers Opportunity

UNITY TWP., Pa. — Markus Golden was starting to feel “a little retired.”

The 33-year-old outside linebacker became a free agent when his contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers expired in March, but OTAs came and went and the veteran of 10 NFL seasons had yet to find a role.

“I was working out, but I did a lot of hanging out with my son and my daughter and having fun with them. My son was working out with me every day,” Golden said Saturday at St. Vincent College. 

But he said the Steelers remained in touch with him throughout the process and told him to ready. When David Perales was lost to a serious knee injury in practice on Wednesday, the time was right and Omar Khan dialed up “Junk,” as Golden is known to the locker room, for another season.

“They kept in great contact with me,” he said. “That’s what I love about the Steelers. They keep in contact with you and let you know the real deal. They told me they were going to bring me in and they made it happen. I appreciate it. I like this organization. I’m excited to be here. …

“It was cool just to hang out with my kids a little bit extra. But it’s better just to get back here and have them watch me play this year.”

Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Markus Golden runs out of the tunnel for a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 29, 2023. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Whatever workouts Golden was doing with his nine-year-old son must have paid off, because he hit the ground running at training camp, showing off his pass-rush moves in both backs-on-backers and team work during the club’s Friday Night Lights practice in Latrobe, just one day after being signed to the roster.

“If they would have told me to come in the day after the season ended, I would have been there,” Golden said. “I was just going with the flow and making sure I was ready when my time comes.”

Golden spent last season as the club’s third outside linebacker, recording four sacks in 16 games. He said he doesn’t yet know what his role will be this year, and isn’t really concerned at this juncture, either. He’s just happy to be playing football again.