Steelers All 90: Quincy Roche Getting 2nd Chance to Make Mark in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Quincy Roche in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft but he never played a down in the regular season as a member of the team. The Steelers made Roche a part of the team’s final cuts prior to the 2021 season but he did not let that phase him.

Shortly after his release from the Steelers, Roche was claimed off of waivers by the New York Giants and went onto play over 400 snaps for their defense as a rookie. His second season did not go nearly as good as he appeared in only two games for the Giants last season. Now, he is back where his professional career started, Pittsburgh.

RELATED: Steelers Bring Back OLB Quincy Roche

After a roller coaster first two seasons, Roche is just glad to be apart of a team but is excited that team is the Steelers.

“It’s a blessing to get an opportunity to have a job anywhere in this league,” said Roche. “Obviously, I got drafted here and I loved it during my time here so it’s a blessing but I got to do my part so I understand that as well.”

Roche gained NFL experience as a starter, backup, and special teams player during his time in New York and now feels as if he is able to bring more to the table than he did as a rookie trying to make the team.

“Definitely more experience this time, easier to catch onto stuff,” said Roche about what is different during his second stint in Pittsburgh. “What I love is it is pretty much the same group of core guys. It is not super brand new so I am excited.”

While Roche is entering his third NFL season, he is correct, not much has changed on the defensive side of the football for the Steelers since 2021.

In 2021, Roche was more worried about making the team than the role he would play. With two proven starters still ahead of him this year, Roche accepted the fact that his role will be comprised of situational pass rushing while mainly playing on special teams.

“I just want to do whatever I can to help the team the best,” said Roche. “Whatever role that may be, I am excited for. So whatever I got to do to help the team, I’m down.”

Roche is excited for more than just the football side of Pittsburgh. After he was drafted, the rookies immediatley went to work like always which led to minimal free time. Couple in the COVID-19 pandemic and Roche was locked into just football during his first stint as a Steeler.

“That’s the cool part [about being back in Pittsburgh] because I really didn’t get the chance to explore as much as I wanted to so this time I am still going to a lot of places for the first time, getting to enjoy the city for what it is,” said Roche.

Roche enters the 2023 season as the fourth most experienced outside linebacker on the roster which will lead to increased playing time on defense in addition to the expected role on special teams. Nonetheless, Roche is back and ready to go with the Steelers.

48 • Quincy Roche, Outside Linebacker, Miami
6-foot-3, 245 pounds, 25 years old, 3rd Season

Acquired: The Steelers signed Roche to a reserve/future contract on Jan. 24, 2023 after his contract with the New York Giants expired following the 2022 season.

Last season: After an impressive rookie season, Roche made the New York Giants’s inital team in 2022 but played only four snaps in the team’s Week 1 game. Roche did not appear in another game until Week 7 when he played only two defensive snaps. Those two appearances were all that Roche received in his last season with the Giants. He finished the year with one tackle and one defensive stop.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Quincy Roche (48) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during rookie minicamp, Friday, May 14, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Caitlyn Epes / Pittsburgh Steelers)

Career: After Roche lit it up in his final two seasons of college football at Temple and Miami, he was drafted with the 216th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Steelers. The Steelers cut Roche before the 2021 season and then he was claimed off of waivers by the Giants a short time later.

Roche did not appear in a game for the Giants until Week 3 of the 2021 season but was a mainstay on the roster from that point forward. He logged his first career start in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs and in Week 9, recorded his first strip sack of his career. Roche finished his rookie season with 401 snaps on defense, 24 tackles, and three sacks through 14 games.

Prior to the 2022 season, the Giants waived Roche but re-signed him to the team’s practice squad. Roche was promoted to the active roster for Week 1 but was later waived again. Roche finished the season on the team’s practice squad before signing a reserve/futures contract with the Steelers this offseason.

College: Roche committed to play his college football at Temple and arrived as a freshman in 2016. As a freshman, Roche redshirtted and sat out the entire 2016 season.

In 2017, Roche bursted onto the scene as he recorded his first career collegiate sack in his first game. Roche earned Co-AAC Defensive Player of the Week after he had a three sacks, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery against UMass in his redshirt freshman season. Roche led the team in forced fumbles (3), was second in tackles for loss (11.5), and third in sacks (7.0) in 2017.

In 2018, Roche started in his first collegiate game.

As a redhsirt junior in 2019, Roche earned a single-digit jersey number which is only given to Temple’s toughest athletes. Roche broke a school record for the most tackles for loss (6.0) in a single game and also recorded the third most sacks in a single game in Temple history. For his efforts, Roche was awarded as the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Prior to his senior season, Roche entered the transfer portal.

Roche committed to play his last year of college football at the University of Miami where he kept the momentum that he built in 2019. As a redhsirt senior, Roche started all 10 games for the Hurricanes and finished with 45 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Roche was tied for first in the ACC for forced fumbles with three.

Salary cap and future:  Roche will cost $940,000 against the Steelers’ cap space in 2023. Roche will become a free agent after the season.

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