Steelers Sights and Sounds: First Look at New Steelers LB Tyler Murray

PITTSBURGH — New Steelers inside linebacker Tyler Murray took the field at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex for the first time on Wednesday. He did so amid several injuries to Pittsburgh’s inside linebacker room. Pittsburgh signed Murray to their practice on Wednesday, and he will join a room of young players looking to round into shape.

Adding Murray gives the Steelers five healthy linebackers entering the week of practice. He joins Mykal Walker and Tariq Carpenter on the practice squad, behind starters Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson on the active roster. The Steelers have had their depth at linebacker depleted by season-ending injuries to Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander in the past two weeks.

Murray, 24, is a Memphis alum who first joined the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason as an undrafted free agent. He was released coming out of training camp, but signed to the Bengals practice squad. Cincinnati released Murray from the practice squad on Sept. 5, when the Bengals signed former Steelers tight end Zach Gentry.

The 6-foot-1, 226-pound Murray spent one season with Memphis in 2022 as a graduate transfer. He started all 13 games for the Tigers and recorded 67 tackles, six for a loss, two interceptions, three hurries and two pass breakups.

In the pre-draft process, Murray graded out with average speed for his size, which is small for a linebacker. He recorded a 4.65-second 40-yard dash and a 4.51-second short shuttle. He did show solid athleticism, with a 35.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-2 broad jump. His Relative Athletic Score at linebacker is a 5.64. He would have been a 6.43 when compared to strong safety prospects.

Before his time at Memphis, Murray spent two seasons at linebacker with Charlotte in 2020 and 2021, where he was a two-year starter and a team captain in 2021. That season, he recorded 79 tackles, 5 1/2 for a loss, 1 1/2 sacks, had one pass defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Murray started his collegiate career at Troy, where he played in 13 games as a freshman at the Spear position, a hybrid safety/linebacker, in 2017 and then became a starter in 2018, when he was named third-team All-Sun Belt after recording 49 tackles, 6 1/2 for a loss, two sacks, three interceptions, eight passes defended, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

A Jacksonville, Florida native, Murray was a two-star recruit as a cornerback coming out of Baldwin High School. He picked Troy over offers from Elon, Liberty and Samford.