The Pittsburgh Steelers have promoted cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster for their game against the Buffalo Bills.
Samuel was signed by the team three weeks ago and this will be his Steelers debut after showing strong performances on the practice squad over the past few weeks.
Samuel had spinal fusion surgery in April, but has now been cleared and is considering where to sign for the stretch run this season. He had made his first visit with the Carolina Panthers a week earlier, with the Steelers being the last team he would visit.
After suffering such a serious injury, Samuel checked all the boxes from a medical standpoint, but his surgery was performed by Dr. David Okonkwo, the Steelers team neurosurgeon.
Initially, the injury was thought to be a shoulder issue, but it was a neck injury that required surgery. Okonkwo last week cleared Samuel to return to football, and he has now begun scheduling visits as a result.
Samuel, 26, is the son of former Super Bowl champion Asante Samuel Sr., who lined out with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles during his NFL career.
He was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Florida State. Samuel has played consistently as a slot cornerback throughout his career, and that’s likely where he’ll land with the Steelers.
<a href=