Steelers Release Run-Stopping Nose Tackle Breiden Fehoko

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released nose tackle Breiden Fehoko, the team announced on Monday. 

Fehoko, 27, joined the Steelers as a free agent earlier this offseason after spending his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Fehoko was expected to provide depth behind Montravius Adams and Keeanu Benton at nose tackle, and possibly providing the ability to use those two exclusively at defensive tackle, but he was never utilized in that fashion. 

Fehoko was waived after training camp, added to the practice squad, and then promoted after the injury to Cam Heyward in Week 1. He was active for one game, and did not play any snaps of defense in that game.

Fehoko joined the Chargers after going undrafted out of LSU in 2020. Fehoko started his college career at Texas Tech before transferring to LSU in 2017, which concluded with a National Championship with the Tigers in 2019.

Fehoko made the Chargers’ initial 53-man roster in 2022 but was waived on Sept. 12 and re-signed to the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on Nov. 9.  Fehoko recorded a career-high 279 defensive snaps and 36 on special teams in 2022. The Honolulu native has appeared in 19 career games with four starts and has 36 tackles. Fehoko has no career sacks and just one tackle for loss.

A corresponding move was not announced and the team’s active roster is at 52 players. The Steelers will likely be adding to their inside linebacker position after season-ending injuries to Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander over the last two weeks.