Getty Kwon Alexander makes a tackle.
The Pittsburgh Steelers totally cleaned inside linebacker house this offseason, leaving a nearly clean slate for rookies from the NFL draft and free-agent veterans.
After signing free agents Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts in the spring, the Steelers needed to further fortify a position that’d previously been a weakness. Two months after his May 15 visit to Pittsburgh, Alexander, 29, was inked to do just that. And it appears general manager Omar Khan and company found a good one.
Alexander was a man on a mission as he suited up for the first time in a Steelers uniform to play against his former Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. The Bucs took the inside linebacker in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He spent four seasons in Tampa, where he led the league in solo tackles (108) in 2016 and was named to his first and only Pro Bowl in 2017.
BIG moooooood 😤
He finished the night with two tackles (one for loss) on 23 snaps (11 run, 12 coverage), but he was around the ball all game long.
And fans are ecstatic about his potential. @Steelers_DB tweeted, “Kwon Alexander is already the Steelers best ILB since Ryan Shazier.” Still a sensitive subject with fans, but a true statement given the carousel of linebackers the Steelers have brought in to (try to) fill his shoes.
@Blitz_Burgh made another reference to Pittsburgh’s most recent cast of inside guys, “After watching Devin Bush the last few years, it was refreshing to see Kwon Alexander play last night. He was flying around and hitting people.”
“I’m floored by Kwon Alexander… this man looks legit,” BTSC’s Michael Beck tweeted.
I’m floored by Kwon Alexander… this man looks legit
@JGor492 put it simply with, “Kwon Alexander is an ANIMAL!”
“Kwon Alexander brings literal swagger to this defense. Flying everywhere. All over the ball. In everyone’s grill. He’s been impressive so far,” @SteelersNetwork tweeted.
Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney tweeted, “Based on his style of play, which he showed time and time again Friday night, #Steelers LB Kwon Alexander is going to be a fan favorite with his physicality.”
“Kwon Alexander blowing up the hole. You fkn love to see it early,” tweeted @KevinAdams26.
Kwon Alexander blowing up the hole. You fkn love to see it early.
The performance earned Alexander first-team reps at Pittsburgh’s Sunday, August 13 training camp practice, according to Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora.
Steelers’ Kwon Alexander Flagged for Unnecessary Roughness
A hotly-debated penalty against Kwon Alexander occurred on his second and final tackle of the game. After a beautiful read on the play, he shot up and laid out Bucs running back Chase Edmonds for a big loss. Only the officials flagged Alexander for unnecessary roughness on what was a textbook tackle. Instead of being 3rd-and-14 near midfield, the penalty spotted the Bucs 15 yards and a new set of downs, moving the ball to the Steelers’ 36-yard-line. Tampa capitalized on the penalty which ultimately resulted in a touchdown.
Steelers fan Dillan Ryman tweeted, “Ffs how much lower does Kwon Alexander need to get? One of the softest penalties I’ve ever seen.”
@CasertanoFrank wrote, “Beautiful read, hit and tackle by Kwon Alexander and they called a penalty… this is really becoming flag football.”
Beautiful read, hit and tackle by Kwon Alexander and they called a penalty… this is really becoming flag football… #HereWeGo #SteelersNation
“Kwon Alexander with a great form tackle in the backfield, followed by a horrid penalty call lol,” tweeted George Pickens Enthusiast.
And Steeler Nation tweeted, “Kwon Alexander is playing a helluva game. He just whacked the Bucs running back. They call a bullshit penalty on him. Bogus.”
You get the picture. It was a bad call, one that if this is how it’s going to be during the regular season, it’s gonna be a long one.
Kwon Alexander Is Taking It Personally
Zoom in on a picture of Kwon Alexander in uniform, and you’ll likely notice his accessories: Various wristbands with statements including “Take it personal.” As many athletes do, these bracelets he wears are constant reminders of what he loves and how he should approach them.
After a Bucs career that produced 380 tackles (31 for loss), 7.0 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 22 defended passes, six interceptions (one for a touchdown), Alexander bounced around the league with the New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets. That could be why he’s taking it personally. Since Tampa, he’s not been offered a long-term contract. And that’s inevitably what he seeks.
Alexander is now with his fourth team in as many seasons. Of course, it’s only preseason where there are overreactions galore after one game. But if his performance keeps trending up and continues into the regular season, he could’ve just found his final team.