Steelers Sign Former XFL, PSU WR Saeed Blacknall

Cale Berger |

Updated: Apr 13, 2020

November 22, 2014: Penn State's Saeed Blacknall (13) during warm ups before the game between Penn State and the University of Illinois at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, IL.

The Steelers are dipping into the XFL talent pool once again, this time, to add some depth at wide receiver

The Steelers have signed former XFL and Penn State wide receiver Saeed Blacknall, the team announced Monday morning. He last played for the Los Angeles Wildcats, where he caught four passes for 120 yards and two scores.

We have signed WR Saeed Blacknall.@BordasLaw TRANSACTION: https://t.co/C7nBDVxHK8 pic.twitter.com/17u0Dh4asl
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 13, 2020

Blacknall caught 50 passes for 979 yards and seven touchdowns over his Penn State career, before signing as an undrafted free agents with the Oakland Raiders in 2018. He has also spent limited time with the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals.

Pittsburgh has now signed six former XFL players this offseason, partly because of the uncertainty surrounding the 2020 NFL Draft and the signing of college free agents caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Going through this draft we are with some limited information, that could curtail some of the college free agents we are able to sign just on the knowledge of who they are type of basis,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said. “Knowing these players a little better, we felt it was important to add as many as we thought could help us in terms of being a competitive player for training camp.”

The XFL announced Saturday that it was suspending all operations, with no plans of returning in 2021.