Steelers to Waive Experienced Linebacker, Special Teamer

The Pittsburgh Steelers will waive inside linebacker Tanner Muse, according to a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Muse has served as the team’s third-team inside linebacker throughout training camp and the preseason, working behind Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, Kwon Alexander and Mark Robinson and alongside Nick Kwiatkoski. 

The club had already placed inside linebacker Forrest Ryhne on waivers and Chapelle Russell was lost for the season to a knee injury, leaving five inside linebackers on the active roster after Muse’s release.

Muse played extensively on both defense and special teams for the Steelers this preseason. He had 30 or more snaps of defense in all three games, and totaled 31 snaps on special teams. He finished the preseason with 11 tackles in all situations. He also recovered a fumble.

The Steelers signed Muse to a one-year contract on April 17, 2023, after his contract with the Seattle Seahawks expired following the 2022 season.

With Seattle, Muse has developed into a reliable special teamer. In 2022, Muse played in 17 games and started one as a linebacker for the Seahawks, playing 80 defensive snaps and 325 special team snaps. Muse finished with 16 total tackles and one pass defended in his second season in Seattle.

He first signed with Seattle in 2021 after he was cut by the Las Vegas Raiders, who had selected him out of Clemson in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Muse and all of the rest of the players released so far will be on waivers until noon on Wednesday, at which point, they will be eligible to be signed to the practice squad if they clear. He is the 10th player to be cut by the Steelers so far this season, leaving the team’s active roster at 80 players. The Steelers have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday to cut down to the NFL-mandated limit of 53 players for the regular season.