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On the night of May 24, 2022, Aditi Kinkhabwala – formerly a reporter for NFL Network – broke the news that the Pittsburgh Steelers would be hiring former Eagles executive Andy Weidl as the team’s new assistant general manager. This just ahead of a report confirming that Omar Khan would be Kevin Colbert’s replacement as general manager.
On the morning of May 25 she broke more news, reporting that the Steelers are adding yet another personnel man to the front office, namely former Detroit Lions vice president of player personnel Sheldon White.
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White is a Former NFL Defensive Back, Longtime Detroit Lions Executive
Sheldon White, 57, came into the NFL as a third-round pick of the New York Giants in the 1988 draft (selected No. 62 overall after a four-year career at Miami of Ohio, the same school that produced former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger). Sheldon played for the Giants for two seasons before spending three years with the Lions, then wrapped up his playing career with one year in Cincinnati.
All together he appeared in 72 career games (with seven starts), during which time he intercepted 11 passes, including a career high four as a rookie.
After his playing career ended he got into scouting and worked for the Detroit Lions from 1997-2015, working his way up from scout to director of pro personnel to vice president of pro personnel. He served as Detroit’s interim general manager for three months in 2015-16 after the Lions fired Martin Mayhew. In January 2016 he interviewed for the chance to succeed Mayhew on a permanent basis but was fired the following month.
He went on to spent the rest of 2016 as a program consultant for the Michigan State Spartans and was promoted to executive director of player personnel and recruiting in June 2017, a role which he held through 2020. During that time his son starred for the Spartans, catching 143 career passes for 1,967 yards and 12 touchdowns in 35 games.
Since 2021 Sheldon White has been working as a college scout for the Washington Commanders.
White’s Son is a Wide Receiver for the Steelers
Sheldon’s son, wide receiver Cody White, has been with the Steelers for the past two years, initially signing to the practice squad on August 24, 2020 after a successful tryout two days earlier.
White, 23, spent all of his first season in Pittsburgh on the practice squad. In 2021, the former Spartan — 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds — was twice a practice squad elevation before being promoted to the active roster in advance of the team’s October 10 home game against the Denver Broncos.
All told, he appeared in 15 games last season and caught five passes for 33 yards over the course of 77 offensive snaps, as per Pro Football Reference. He also played 105 snaps on special teams — 24% of the team’s total.
Cody White has a solid chance to earn a job as a depth wide receiver in 2022, as the Steelers lost three receivers in free agency: JuJu Smith-Schuster (Chiefs); James Washington (Cowboys); and Ray-Ray McCloud (49ers).
On the other hand, the Steelers have already added possible replacements for all three of the above receivers, having drafted wideouts in the second and fourth rounds of the 2022 draft, namely George Pickens and Calvin Austin III. The latter of whom has been described as a draft “steal” — a player who was coveted by the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers also signed former Patriots kick returner Gunner Olszewski to replace McCloud.
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