Steelers Bring Back Super Bowl Champion Running Back

The Pittsburgh Steelers have re-signed running back La’Mical Perine to their practice squad, the team announced on Tuesday.

Perine, 26, had been with the Steelers during training camp, but was among the last round of cuts. He signed to the practice squad of the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 30, but was released on Sept. 10.

He will join Aaron Shampklin and Jonathan Ward as running backs on the Steelers practice squad. Shampklin was elevated to the active roster last week against the Indianapolis Colts and made his NFL debut, and the Steelers injury situation at running back got worse since then.

Starter Najee Harris has been playing through some kind of an injury after being seen with his right arm in a sling last week. Backup Jaylen Warren was pulled from the team’s Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Chargers with a knee injury. Third-string back Cordarrelle Patterson left the Week 4 game against the Colts with an ankle injury.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that both Patterson and Warren have a chance to play this week, but the team is bolstering its depth at running back, anyway.

A 2020 fourth-round pick of the New York Jets out of Florida, Perine has played in 17 games over four NFL seasons. He played in 14 games with the Jets in 2020 and 2021, rushing for 340 yards.

Since then, he bounced to the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs before signing with he Steelers. He played just three games in that span, all with the Chiefs, but won two Super Bowl rings as a member of the Kansas City practice squad.

With the Steelers this preseason, Perine rushed 16 times over three games to lead the Steelers. He ran for 46 yards and also caught one pass for four yards. He scored one touchdown, in the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions.

In addition to signing Perine, the Steelers also added edge rusher Eku Leota to their practice squad and released fullback Jack Colletto and edge rusher Marcus Haynes.