Steelers Sights and Sounds: First Look at RB Godwin Igwebuike

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers welcomed new running back Godwin Igwebuike into the fold for Wednesday’s practice after they signed him following the knee injury that Anthony McFarland suffered. At least his injury will keep him out for the next four weeks, and Igwebuike can do many things, from special teams to filling in as the third running back. Igwebuike gives the Steelers some much-needed depth at the running back position with McFarland banged up. Qadree Ollison and Greg Bell are on the team’s practice squad.

Igwebuke, 29, is a Pickerington, Ohio native. He has bounced around the NFL and the Steelers will be his eighth team since going undrafted out of Northwestern in 2018.

Because the Steelers signed him from Atlanta’s practice squad, Igwebuike will have to spend at least four weeks on Pittsburgh’s active roster.

The 6-foot, 212-pound Igwebuke was a three-year starter at safety for the Wildcats, and was still playing that position when he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a UDFA in 2018.

You can see the appeal by comparing his pre-draft testing as a running back instead of a defensive back. Igwebuike ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, had elite agility in the shuttle (4.12 seconds) and three-cone drill (6.56 seconds) and had a 10-foot-8 broad jump. His RAS score as a running back was 9.77

Igwebuike played one game at safety with Tampa before being claimed on waivers by the San Francisco 49ers later that season. Igwebuike played five games in San Francisco. All his contributions in his rookie season came on special teams, and he recorded two tackles.