When the Pittsburgh Steelers released Steven Nelson, it came as a surprise. But since that time, the team has struggled to find consistent cornerback play from both sides and Nelson has soared in the NFL, finding himself as a key contributor with the Houston Texans.
Nelson opened up about the release, which happened for mostly salary cap reasons, and blasted the team. He noted how they still have not found consistent cornerback play his release.
“Going to my last year, my cap number’s high,” Nelson said on the Corner Suite podcast. “These motherf—— felt the need to call me during the offseason, literally probably a day before free agency. [Mike Tomlin], he called me on some s—. ‘Hey Steve, I think upstairs, they’re looking to trade you. I’m like man, get the f— out of here. You don’t think. You know something. A good laugh at is like. Ever since I left, they ain’t found a corner yet. They’re still searching. High and low, they’re searching for motherf——.”
Nelson started 30 games for the team over the last two seasons and recorded 109 tackles, 17 passes defended and three interceptions. He was rated as the No. 36 cornerback in the NFL in 2020 by Pro Football Focus. But his game has continued to hold strong, and while he enters free agency, Nelson should still have plenty of other suitors despite being on the other side of 30 at the position.
At one point, it looked like the Steelers and Nelson might rectify the relationship and he could return, but he signed with the Eagles. Pittsburgh now has a young star in Joey Porter Jr., but they are still trying to address the other side. Patrick Peterson’s future is in question and while Cory Trice and Darius Rush are young players with upside, they have little to no depth throughout the entire room. So, Nelson is not wrong that they have never found the consistent player they would be looking for after they moved on from him.
