PITTSBURGH — The newest members of the Pittsburgh Steelers have their uniform numbers, as trade deadline acquisitions Mike Williams and Preston Smith had their new black and gold threads hanging in their lockers before practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Wednesday.
Williams will wear No. 18, the same uniform number he had been wearing with the New York Jets before his trade on Tuesday. Williams had worn No. 81 for most of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Practice squad cornerback Anthony Averett had been wearing the number, dating back to the preseason. The last Steelers player to wear the number in a regular-season game was Diontae Johnson, who played in 77 games for the team from 2019-23.
David Gilreath (2012) and Walter Young (2006) are the only other wide receivers to wear the number in team history. Quarterbacks Mike Tomczak (1993-99), Cliff Stout (1980-83), Jack Kemp (1957) and Ted Marchibroda (1955-56) and punter Harry Newsome (1985-89) are other notable wearers of the No. 18 jersey in Pittsburgh.
Smith will keep wearing the same No. 91 that he wore through his Green Bay Packers career. Smith wore No. 94 with the Washington Redskins in his first four NFL seasons, but has been wearing No. 91 ever since.
The Steelers have a proud history of defensive linemen and outside linebackers wearing No. 91. Defensive end Stephon Tuitt wore the digits from 2014-20. Before that, fellow defensive end Aaron Smith won two Super Bowls wearing No. 91 from 1999-11. Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Greene is the most notable outside linebacker to wear No. 91 for the team, from 1993-95.
Rookie defensive lineman Logan Lee had been wearing No. 91. Lee is on the injured reserve list with a calf injury. He switched to No. 61, his third uniform number of his rookie season. He wore No. 74 in training camp and the preseason.