Yet another former Pittsburgh Steelers player has joined former rival coach John Harbaugh with the New York Giants.
According to the NFL transaction wire, the Giants signed veteran defensive tackle Dean Lowry to their practice squad Tuesday.
Lowry spent two regular seasons with the Steelers from 2024-25. In 2024, he appeared in 12 contests, starting one of them. Lowry posted five combined tackles, one quarterback hit, one sack and one pass defense.
During the 2025 campaign, Lowry landed on injured reserve in early August. The veteran then missed the entire campaign because of an ACL tear.
Lowry returned to the Steelers in NFL free agency this past spring. The team waived him in May, re-signed him shortly thereafter, then released him at the league’s roster deadline in late August.
Since then, Lowry had been a free agent until this week. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on September 7 the Giants planned to sign Lowry, but a deal wasn’t reached until Tuesday.
In 132 games across nine seasons, Lowry has posted 16.5 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 18 pass defenses and one interception.
Giants Finally Sign Former Steelers DT Dean Lowry
Nearly two months after Fowler’s initial report, Lowry has finally landed with the Giants. The team will dedicate one of their practice squad veteran spots to the 32-year-old.
Lowry began his career as a fourth-round pick with the Green Bay Packers. He played seven years for Green Bay before switching sides in a rivalry and signing with the Minnesota Vikings before 2023.
After one season in Minnesota, Lowry went to Pittsburgh.
Lowry’s best statistical campaign with the Packers was 2021. He registered five sacks with five tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits and four pass defenses.
The veteran will join PJ Mustipher and Josh Tupou as the three defensive linemen the Giants have on their practice squad entering Week 8. New York will have a bye this weekend and then visit the struggling Philadelphia Eagles on November 8.
Entering the bye week, the Giants sit in first place of the NFC East with a 4-2-1 record.
Harbaugh and the Giants have been a haven of sorts for former Steelers players. Since hiring Harbaugh, New York has notably signed former Steelers’ DeMarvin Leal, Calvin Austin III, Najee Harris and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
However, none of those players are currently on the Giants roster. Austin is on injured reserve while New York cut the other three players.
Steelers Defensive Line Depth Entering Week 8
Lowry was a surprise cut for the Steelers after training camp this year. But instead of another veteran option, the team elected to keep its young defensive linemen.
Both sixth-round rookie Gabe Rubio and undrafted rookie Kevin Jobity Jr. made the Steelers initial roster. Those two first-year players now have roles on game days because of injuries.
The Steelers placed both Derrick Harmon and Sebastian Joseph-Day on injured reserve this month. That’s made Rubio and Jobity each part of the team’s defensive line rotation.
Part of why the Steelers could afford to move on from Lowry in August was the great depth the team had along the defensive line. Cameron Heyward is still starring while former second-round pick Keeanu Benton is emerging as a solid starter. Second-year lineman Yahya Black is also experiencing a tremendous start to the 2026 NFL season.
After seven weeks, the Steelers are fifth in scoring defense and sixth in yards allowed. Behind the team’s strong defensive line, the Steelers are also seventh in rushing yards allowed.
Former Steelers DT Signs With John Harbaugh’s New York Giants