The Pittsburgh Steelers are re-signing wide receiver Ben Skowronek, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The 6-foot-3, 224-pound receiver can be used as a blocker more than some of the Steelers’ smaller depth wide receiver options. He also was a key special teams player for the Steelers last year, playing on kickoff, kick return and punt coverage units. He also served as a punt gunner.
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith highlighted Skowronek with an unusual compliment last season.
“What you want to see as you get in December, and we talk about our style of play, it’s not just the five guys up front,” Smith started, in a fairly normal level of coach-speak, complimenting the likes of Steelers wide receivers Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller and Skowronek.
Then thinks got a little weirder.
“Sometimes you it takes for you to watch a couple times to appreciate what Van Jefferson did in that game, Scotty, and Skowronek week in and week out,” Smith said. “He’s got a lot of dirtbag to him, which we appreciate.”
Skowronek told Alan Saunders of Steelers Now that he’s “not a wide receiver, he’s a football player.”
Against the Cleveland Browns in Steelers’ Week 14 win he goaded punt returner Kadarius Toney into taking a personal foul one time down the field, then the next, pounced on the ball when Toney muffed the punt.
The previous week as the Steelers dominated in Cincinnati, he blocked Bengals safety Geno Stone about seven yards into the end zone on a Najee Harris touchdown run. He probably didn’t even have to block him for Harris to score. Skowronek just seems to enjoy hitting people. That’s not very wide receiver-like.
In addition to Skowronek, the Steelers also signed speedy wideout Scotty Miller on Thursday. Miller, 27, spent the 2024 season with the Steelers, recording five catches for 69 yards in 13 games. He returns as a depth piece once again in a room that now includes DK Metcalf, George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson and Skowronek.
Skowronek is entering his fifth season in the NFL. He won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams in his rookie season in 2021.
Los Angeles traded Skowronek to Houston last May for a seventh-round pick, but he was released by the Texans on Aug. 27. He was signed by the Steelers five days later.