Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Markus Golden has retired, the team announced on Friday. Golden had just signed with the club eight days ago, but was not practicing the last two days.
Golden spent the 2023 season with the Steelers, but had been a free agent since his contract had expired in March.
Golden, 33, played in 16 games for the Steelers last season as the club’s No. 3 outside linebacker. He recorded 20 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks, one pass defense and one fumble recovery.
The Steelers remained in touch with Golden throughout the offseason and told him to ready. When David Perales was lost to a knee injury in practice, the time was right and Omar Khan dialed up “Junk,” as Golden is known to the locker room, for another season.
“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. “They kept in great contact with me. 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. …”
The 6-foot-3, 260-pound linebacker was the Cardinals’ second-round pick in there 2015 NFL Draft out of Missouri, taken two picks after the Steelers selected cornerback Senquez Golson.
Golden was an immediate contributor for the Cardinals, starting six games as a rookie and then breaking out with a 12.5-sack season in 2016. He missed time with injuries in 2017 and 2019, and left Arizona, signing as a free agent with the New York Giants.
Golden posted a 10-sack season with Big Blue in 2019 and re-signed in New York for 2020. In Oct. 2020, he was traded back to the Cardinals for a sixth-round draft pick. In his first full season back in the desert in 2021, Golden again posted double-digit sack totals with 11. He also had four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a pass defensed.
With Golden retiring, there’s now an opportunity for Jeremiah Moon, Kyron Johnson, Julius Welschof and DeMarvin Leal to take the No. 4 OLB spot. All four players should receive a ton of snaps on Friday night against the Houston Texans.
Alan Saunders contributed reporting for this story.