Justin K. Aller/Getty Images Dan McCullers #93 of the Pittsburgh Steelers tackles Giovani Bernard #25 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at Heinz Field on September 18, 2016.
On Tuesday nose tackle Dan McCullers terminated his contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Today we know why. According to NFL Draft Diamonds it’s the Chicago Bears who have signed the seven-year veteran to their active roster.
The move comes in the wake of Bears nose tackle John Jenkins suffering a thumb injury that caused him to miss practice on Wednesday. That leaves Chicago especially short on the interior of its defensive line, thanks in part to the absence of Eddie Goldman, who opted out of the 2020 season in July because of COVID-19.
Dan McCullers’ Career in Pittsburgh
The Steelers selected Dan McCullers in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee. He made three starts in 73 regular season games in Pittsburgh, producing a total of 41 total tackles, 2.5 career sacks, nine quarterback hits and two passes defensed. The lion’s share of his production came in 2016, when he had 17 tackles, a sack and five quarterback hits.
This season he failed to make the 53-man roster, getting cut along with wide receiver Ryan Switzer. But he immediately returned to the team as a member of the 2020 practice squad.
Despite being a seven-year vet Pittsburgh had little reason to consider identifying McCullers as one of the four practice squad players that can be protected each week, thanks in part to dramatically improved depth on the interior of its defensive line.
For one, Tyson Alualu has excelled playing on the interior, and the Steelers also now employ Chris Wormley (acquired in an offseason trade with the Baltimore Ravens), not to mention former sixth-round pick Isiah Buggs and 2020 seventh-round draft pick Carlos Davis, the latter a promising developmental prospect with the kind of pass rush skills that NFL teams are looking for in defensive tackles these days.
McCullers’ abrupt and unexpected departure means that Pittsburgh will likely add a new player to its practice squad; one likely possibility is wide receiver Cody White, who the Steelers had in for a visit on Tuesday.
Steelers to Announce 2020 Hall of Honor Class
Meanwhile, on Wednesday the Steelers announced that they will introduce the newest members of their Hall of Honor on Friday night at 8 p.m. Stan Savran, a member of the Hall of Honor selection committee, will serve as host. The proceedings can be viewed live at Steelers.com, via the team’s mobile app, and on all of the club’s social media channels.
Savran will be joined by Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney II, as well as special guests.
The Steelers introduced the Hall of Honor in 2017 to recognize former players, coaches and front office personnel who have played a key role in the success of the franchise. For a former Steelers player to be considered, he must be retired from the NFL for at least three years and must have played a minimum of three seasons for the Steelers.
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Bears Sign Former Steelers Nose Tackle