PITTSBURGH — When the Pittsburgh Steelers needed it the most, they got quality play out of Eric Rowe. Nicknamed ‘Death Rowe’, he came off the practice squad out of nowhere and gave Pittsburgh some much-needed juice to the point where he continued to make plays throughout his tenure as a starter. When asked if he could return in 2024, Mike Tomlin said ‘certainly’ Rowe could find his way back.
Rowe played and started in each of the team’s final three regular season games, recording 29 tackles, one tackle for a loss, two passes defended, one forced fumble and one interception.
Rowe, 31, has played for the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins since coming into the league as a second-round pick of the Eagles out of Utah in 2015. A 6-foot-1, 205-pound defensive back, Rowe has split his career playing time equally between outside cornerback, slot cornerback and strong safety, while also spending time at free safety and linebacker.
Rowe would not mind returning to the team, either. When he came to Pittsburgh, his high expectations for Pittsburgh were surpassed, and the tradition within the building is everything it was chalked up to be.
“It’s pretty nice when you go to a team that historically has always been a stable program,” Rowe said. “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.'”
In his eight-year NFL career, Rowe has played in 103 games and made 59 starts. He has recorded 410 tackles, 43 passes defended, eight tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, two sacks, six forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. All of those stats are solid enough, but Rowe’s steady play gave the team the boost they needed. And it would be smart, once again, if they could bring him back for quality depth and play at safety.