Steelers Release Speedy Wide Receiver/Kick Returner
The Pittsburgh Steelers are releasing wide receiver/kick returner T.J. Luther, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. The Steelers have to trim their roster from 91 to 53 by Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Luther signed with the Steelers on Aug. 13, a day before the final training camp practice at St. Vincent College. The second-year professional split the 2023 season between the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
A 5-foot-11, 180-pound Arcadia, Florida native, Luther originally attended Wofford College before transferring to Gardner-Webb for his final two collegiate seasons. He joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent last spring, and played in four preseason games with New York last summer, but did not record any statistics in 33 offensive snaps.
Luther was released by the Jets after training camp, and caught on for two stints with the New England Patriots practice squad, first from Sept. 1 to Oct. 18 and then from Nov. 7 to the end of the season. He did not play in any games for New England. Luther re-signed with the Patriots for the 2024 season, but was released on June 6.
As a redshirt senior at Gardner-Webb in 2022, Luther caught 55 passes for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns and was a first-team All-Big South wide receiver. In 2021, he was an all-conference kickoff returner, with seven returns for 179 yards in addition to his 23 receptions for 384 yards and four touchdowns.
Prior to transferring to GWU, Luther spent three seasons at Wofford. His best season was in 2019, when he started seven games and caught 19 passes for 447 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Terriers to an FCS playoffs berth.
Luther showed solid explosiveness in pre-draft testing, putting up a 39-inch vertical and a 10-foot-7 broad jump. He ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and had an overall 5.86 Relative Athletic Score out of 10.
Luther received one snap against the Buffalo Bills in the second preseason game, and it was a glaring one as he wasn’t able to connect with Justin Fields on a deep ball. Fields received flak for being off target, but Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter said on X that it was a poor route by Luther.
Luther played just four offensive snaps and recorded no receptions in the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions. He played four special teams snaps, as well.
Wide receivers George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson are locks to make the 53-man roster. The final WR spot will come down to Scotty Miller, Dez Fitzpatrick and Quez Watkins. It’s most likely between Miller and Fitzpatrick, as Watkins received playing time late in the final preseason game. Fitzpatrick was the highest-graded Steeler (83.0) against Detroit, according to Pro Football Focus.
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