Steelers Can’t Find Trade Partner, Release Talented Backup Kicker

The Pittsburgh Steelers released kicker Matthew Wright on Monday afternoon in a second wave of roster cuts, the team announced.

Chris Ward |

Aug 26, 2024

Steelers kIcker Matthew Wright — Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Matthew Wright during a training camp practice on Aug. 12, 2024. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

The Pittsburgh Steelers released kicker Matthew Wright on Monday afternoon, the team announced. In addition to Wright, offensive lineman Anderson Hardy and defensive back Kyler McMichael were also released in the second wave of cuts by the Steelers. The Steelers released eight players on Monday morning in the first wave of roster moves as they cut down from 91 players to a 53-man roster by Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 4 p.m.

The Steelers signed Wright to a one-year contract on April 10, 2024, marking his fourth stint with the team. Wright was pretty much just camp leg for the Steelers, so a his release is not surprising. Perhaps he will be brought back if Chris Boswell suffers an injury during the season.

Last season, Wright was cut by three different teams, including the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, and San Francisco 49ers at various points of the season. Wright served as a backup for both the Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs last year, making 83.3% of his kicks with a long of 59 yards and going 15 for 15 on extra points.

Wright originally signed with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent in 2019 before spending time with the XFL’s Tampa Bay Vipers. He came back to the Steel City in 2020, connecting on each of his four field goal attempts and seven extra point kicks.

In 2021, Wright played in 14 games as Jacksonville’s primary placekicker. He made a career-high 21 of his 24 field goal attempts while going 13 of 15 on extra point attempts.

In 2022, Wright kicked for the Steelers and the Chiefs. In four games with the Steelers, he completed 12 of his 14 field goal attempts. For the Chiefs he completed three of his four attempts.

Over his first five seasons in the NFL, Wright has kicked for four different teams in regular season games. He has appeared in 24 games, making 40 of his 47 career field goal attempts and 35 of his 37 extra point attempts.

Matthew Wright, a Pennsylvania native, played his collegiate football at the University of Central Florida. After being on a redshirt during his freshman season, Wright became the Knights full-time placekicker for the next four seasons.

In 2017, Wright was the primary kicker for the undefeated UFC Knights team that claimed a National Championship despite not making the title game or being ranked above tenth in the AP Poll.

Wright was a two-time second-team All-AAC honoree with those awards coming in 2017 and 2018.

Wright holds the UCF school records for most career points (375), most field goals made (55), most extra points (212, including 153 consecutive made PATs), tied for the best career kicking percentage (77.4%), and second-best career extra point percentage (98.5%).