Steelers Elevate Ballhawking Safety for Packers Game

The Steelers have elevated ball-hawking safety Trenton Thompson from their practice squad for the team’s game against the Green Bay Packers, the team announced on Saturday. It comes on the heels of Minkah Fitzpatrick being ruled out with a hamstring injury for the second straight week. Thompson will join Damontae Kazee, Keanu Neal, Elijah Riley, and Miles Killebrew on the active roster for the game. Pittsburgh hosted four safeties for workouts on Friday.

Thompson came onto the Steelers’ radar after several safety injuries, allowing him to get signed and make plays. Thompson nabbed an interception during his first game in the preseason against the Buccaneers. He would make similar plays in practice, earning a boom-or-bust reputation, but he had a nose for the ball. He has been with the team since, and Jalen Elliott is also on the team’s practice squad, but Thompson got the elevation over him.

The Steelers signed Thompson on August 2nd after those training camp injuries to Neal and Kazee while Fitzpatrick was on personal leave. As a result, Thompson earned second and even some first-team reps once he caught up to speed with the opportunity still around.

Thompson, 25, is a 6-foot-1, 196-pound safety from San Diego State. He joined the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft and played one game as a rookie in 2022.

The Giants initially released Thompson at the outset of training camp and added him to the practice squad, but he was promoted to the active roster on Nov. 23. He played 12 snaps, all on special teams, and then was released back to the practice squad.

He was re-signed to a reserve/future contract for the 2023 season but released on July 25, before the start of training camp. The traits that Pittsburgh knows Thompson best for are his ball skills and hard-hitting capabilities. He is special teams, but could play in specific packages against the Packers if the Steelers see fit.