Steelers Release Pennsylvania Native Linebacker

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released inside linebacker Forrest Rhyne, the team announced on Saturday.

Rhyne, 24, was a late addition to the Steelers’ training camp roster, signing with the club on Aug. 13 after a pair of injuries to the position when Chapelle Russell was lost for the season to a knee injury in the preseason opener and Nick Kwiatkoski was also banged up.

Rhyne played nine snaps and had one tackle in the Steelers’ second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 19. He dressed but did not play in the finale against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday. He had a PFF grade of 24.7 this preseason.

A native Waynesboro in south-central Pennsylvania, Rhyne spent the 2022 season with the Colts after joining Indy as an undrafted free agent out of Villanova last spring.

He was among Indianapolis’ final cuts coming out of training camp last August, but was re-signed to the practice squad, from which he was elevated to the active roster three times, including against the Steelers in Week 12.

Rhyne played 10 snaps against the Steelers, all on special teams, then played 18 snaps in Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys and 20 snaps against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15, all on special teams. He finished the season with one tackle.

The Colts re-signed Rhyne to a reserve/future contract for the 2023 season this January, but he was waived on May 4.

The 6-foot-1, 233-pound linebacker spent five collegiate seasons with Villanova, where he was a three-time All-CAA selection. In 2021, he was CAA Defensive Player of the Year and an FCS All-American after recording 152 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 13 games.

The Steelers must cut down from their 90-player offseason roster to the NFL-mandated 53-man limit by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.