Steelers Promote RB Wendell Smallwood, OL Anthony Coyle from Practice Squad

The Steelers have officially placed center Maurkice Pouncey on the COVID-19 reserve list and promoted running back Wendell Smallwood and offensive lineman Anthony Coyle from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced on Wednesday before Pittsburgh’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Smallwood, a West Virginia alum, signed with the Steelers on the eve of training camp and has spent the entire season on the Pittsburgh practice squad. He has 233 career NFL carries for 931 yards and five touchdowns over four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.


Smallwood will help offset the loss of starting running back James Conner, who will miss the game on the COVID-19 reserve list, and backups Jaylen Samuels, who is out with a quad injury, and Trey Edmunds, who was placed on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury.

Coyle signed with the Steelers this offseason after spending the spring with the New York Guardians of the XFL. He spent time with the Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons after signing with Houston as an undrafted free agent out of Fordham.

Coyle will help replace backup tackle Jerald Hawkins, who will miss the game while on the COVID-19 list. Fellow third-year pro J.C. Hassenauer will likely start for Pouncey, with Coyle, Kevin Dotson and Derwin Gray serving as backups on the offensive line.