The Pittsburgh Steelers are re-signing cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. to a one-year, $4 million deal, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
After undergoing spinal fusion surgery in April 2025, Samuel, 26, was cleared to play in early November.
He initially was signed to the Steelers’ practice squad on Nov. 11 and just three weeks later saw his first game action in nearly a year against the Buffalo Bills, recording three tackles in a 26-7 loss. He was eventually elevated to the active roster and wound up starting three games — and played nearly every defensive snap in that stretch — as the Steelers’ secondary dealt with a rash of injuries.
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Samuel recorded 10 tackles and had an interception in the Steelers’ Week 15 “Monday Night Football” win against the Miami Dolphins.
Selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, Samuel was a four-year starter for the Chargers until he was sidelined by injury and elected to have spinal fusion surgery to help correct issues in his shoulders and neck that he said has plagued him since birth.
The son of two-time Super Bowl defensive back Asante Samuel, he has 50 starts over his five-year career and has recorded seven interceptions, one fumble recovery and 186 tackles.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.
